California Assistance Programs and Benefits
Free help finding assistance programs, from the Redwood Coast to the Imperial Valley
California rents, gas prices and grocery bills leave little room for a surprise. One missed paycheck or a wildfire evacuation can upend a household. Helping Hands tracks down the California assistance programs that match your situation and tells you how to apply.
Bring us the problem, from a CalFresh question to a rent notice. We point you to the programs, the eligibility basics and the county offices that serve you in California.
From Del Norte to Imperial, we cover all 58 counties in California. You might live in Los Angeles, San Diego or San Jose, in Riverside or Fresno County, or in a farm town in the Central Valley. The information is free wherever you call home.
California help comes from state programs overseen by CDSS, county social services offices, Medi-Cal, federal programs, food banks and community groups. We help you see which office handles what in your county.
Check Your Eligibility for Free
Rules differ from one program to the next. Household income, family size, age, disability, immigration status, housing and work history can all affect what you qualify for.
We help you sort the California programs worth applying for from the ones that won't fit.
California Financial Assistance Programs
A layoff, a medical emergency or a fire season evacuation can wipe out savings in a hurry. Californians can look into several kinds of financial help, depending on what happened.
If you're struggling with the basics, we help you find the resources that fit and show you where to apply.
Helping Hands can help you locate information about programs and resources involving:
California Food Assistance and CalFresh Benefits
Food prices keep climbing, and California households feel it at every checkout line.
Helping Hands explains California food assistance programs, including CalFresh, the state's name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). You get CalFresh on a Golden State Advantage EBT card, which works like a debit card at approved stores.
Running low before the end of the month? Check whether your household may qualify for CalFresh.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) oversees CalFresh and CalWORKs, and your county social services office handles applications. You can apply for CalFresh, CalWORKs and Medi-Cal online at BenefitsCal.
We can also help California residents locate:
California Utility Bill Assistance
Summer heat in the Central Valley and the Inland Empire drives up cooling bills, and winter nights in the mountains and foothills bring heating costs of their own. A past-due balance can lead to a disconnection notice.
Helping Hands shows you utility assistance programs open to qualifying California households.
Resources may include information about:
LIHEAP Assistance in California
The California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the state.
Local service providers take LIHEAP applications in each region. Funding, rules and deadlines change, so check the current details with the provider that serves your area.
We help you find that provider and start your application.
California Rental Assistance and Housing Assistance
California housing costs stretch budgets thin, and a rent increase can force hard choices.
Behind on rent, facing eviction or looking for a place you can afford? We'll find California programs and local groups set up for those problems.
Helping Hands provides information about housing resources that may be available to qualifying California residents, including:
Section 8 and Housing Assistance in California
Californians looking for affordable housing should learn about Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other subsidized housing.
City and county housing authorities run these programs, and many California wait lists run long.
Helping Hands can provide information and resources to help you understand:
California Eviction Assistance
Holding an eviction notice or a past-due rent letter? Respond right away. Eviction deadlines are short.
Our California list includes rental assistance, eviction prevention, emergency housing, legal aid and community resources in your county.
Your help may come from a nonprofit, a tenant rights group, a legal aid office or a city or county program.
Foreclosure Prevention Assistance in California
If you own your home and a payment slips, deal with it before a second one does.
California homeowners can find foreclosure prevention and housing counseling referrals in our guide.
Afraid you could lose your home? Call your mortgage servicer early and meet with a housing counselor about your options.
California Assistance for Seniors
Older Californians may qualify for help with health care, meals, housing, transportation and daily bills.
For Medicare questions, call the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222.
Helping Hands provides information about resources that may be available to older adults, including:
Medi-Cal and Medicare Resources in California
Copays, prescriptions and hospital bills strain California seniors, people with disabilities and low-income families the most.
Helping Hands helps you find information about Medicare, Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program) and other health-care assistance in California.
Medicare and Medi-Cal each have their own rules, so check the current requirements for the one you need.
Disability Assistance in California
Californians with disabilities may qualify for specialized programs, in-home support and community services.
Qualifications vary by program, so review each program on its own terms.
Helping Hands can help California residents locate information about resources involving:
Legal Assistance for California Residents
A denied claim, a housing dispute or a pile of debt sometimes needs a lawyer's eye.
If you qualify, legal aid and free legal resources in California may take on your case, and we'll show you where to start.
Each legal aid organization sets its own limits on who it can serve for free or at low cost.
Legal assistance may be particularly relevant for issues involving:
Education, Employment and Training Assistance
Emergency help gets you through a month. New skills can change the next ten years.
Helping Hands also shares education, job training and workforce resources that help Californians land better jobs and steadier income.
Resources may include:
California Food Banks and Emergency Food Resources
Need food today? California food banks and pantries operate in cities, suburbs and farm towns up and down the state.
We look for pantries and meal sites near you, with options for families, seniors, people with disabilities and anyone in a rough patch.
Out of food, facing a shutoff or without a bed tonight? Dial 2-1-1 in California. Local 211 centers connect you with services in your county.
Assistance Available Throughout All 58 California Counties
Our California guide takes in all 58 counties in California, from Siskiyou to San Diego.
Cities and counties on our California list include:
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Fresno
- Sacramento
- Long Beach
- Oakland
- Bakersfield
- Anaheim
- Stockton
- Riverside
- Santa Ana
- Irvine
- Chula Vista
- Los Angeles County
- San Diego County
- Orange County
- Riverside County
- San Bernardino County
- And communities throughout California
From an apartment in the Mission District to a farmhouse outside Fresno, the help you can get depends on your household and the programs in your county.
How Helping Hands Can Help
Between state agencies, county offices, forms and wait lists, finding the right program can eat up days.
Helping Hands keeps California's programs in one place so you can compare them.
Our goal is to help you:
- Identify programs that may match your situation.
- Understand basic eligibility requirements.
- Find the appropriate agency or organization.
- Learn where and how to apply.
- Locate additional resources if one program does not meet your needs.
Every Californian can use our help and resource information for free.
Need Help in California? Start Here.
Short on money for groceries, rent, power or doctor bills? You can skip hunting down each program on your own.
Next, we point you to California agencies and organizations that may take your case.
Common California Assistance Programs
Food & Nutrition
- CalFresh (SNAP)
- EBT information
- Food banks
- Food pantries
- Emergency food assistance
Housing
- Rental assistance
- Section 8
- Low-income housing
- Eviction assistance
- Foreclosure prevention
- Emergency housing
Utilities
- LIHEAP
- Electric assistance
- Gas assistance
- Utility bill assistance
Financial Assistance
- Emergency financial assistance
- Cash assistance
- Family assistance
- Single-parent resources
- Community grants and assistance
Health & Senior Services
- Medicare
- Medi-Cal (Medicaid)
- Senior assistance
- Disability resources
- Health-care assistance
Other Resources
- Legal assistance
- Education
- Job training
- Workforce resources
- Community services
Immediate California Assistance
Need help right now? Dial 2-1-1 to reach 211 in your California county and find local help with food, shelter, utility bills and other emergencies.
For CalFresh, CalWORKs and Medi-Cal, contact your county social services office or apply at BenefitsCal. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) oversees CalFresh and CalWORKs.
For Medicare questions, call the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222.
Save this page so California's main help lines stay easy to find.
Find the California programs that fit your household, starting today.
Helping Hands is a resource and information service. Program eligibility, availability, funding, and application requirements are determined by the applicable government agency, nonprofit organization, housing authority, or other program administrator. Providing information about a program does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
