5Cities Homeless Coalition

The 5Cities Homeless Coalition continues to develop programs in the South County, with the assistance of our community partners.  Recent efforts include:

Lifeline Assistance Cell Phone Program Registration

5Cities Homeless Coalition volunteers have taken on the effort to ensure that local residents are aware of the opportunity to receive a free cell phone through the Lifeline Assistance program. At a recent registration outreach event, volunteers assisted 25 families in signing up for the program; 12 of whom were homeless.

Access to a telephone is imperative when trying to find work, obtain housing or access other necessary services.  Oftentimes it is a barrier, as simple as a phone, that prevents individuals from an ability to change their circumstances. For the homeless population, they need a cell phone, because they don’t have a home to hard-wire a land-line. The Lifeline Assistance program is a government benefit program supported by the federal Universal Service Fund. Enrollment is available to individuals who qualify based on federal or state-specific eligibility criteria. Individuals may qualify if they are on certain public assistance programs, like Med-Cal or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or with proof of low-income.

Registration for the program must happen before June 6.  To see if you or someone you know may qualify, click here for details.  For more information or assistance through the 5Cities Homeless Coalition, contact us at 574-1638.

Helping Hand Assistance

In recent months through the 5Cities Helping Hands Program, in partnership with the South County Youth Coalition, local homeless residents have received assistance with gasoline vouchers to get to a new job, housing assistance with rental deposits,  and bus passes. For more details on this program…

Clothing Assistance

More than 10 families have received clothing assistance through St. Barnabas Thrift Store and St. Patrick’s Shamrock Thrift Store as part of the 5CHC’s new clothing voucher program which began in January.  Their stories vary; one family lost everything in a house fire, another was on the streets due to mental illness and had just one pair of jeans.  Regardless of their reason for need, each appreciated the simple gift of clothing.  For more details on this program…

Warming Center Preparation

The 5Cities Homeless Coalition has just completed the necessary pre-work and contracts necessary to open an overnight warming center to provide a safe, warm and dry place for homeless adults to find shelter during nights of particularly poor weather.  We tried mightily to open the shelter before the weather improved; none the less we’re ready for the next storm that hits. For more details on this program…

Information and Referral

The 5Cities Homeless Coalition continues to receive calls from both those seeking assistance, as well as those looking to help. It is a role we take on gladly as we work to mobilize the resources and support of the community.  Through this we are developing a comprehensive understanding of regional resources.  We have compiled a list of services, everything from medical help to food and financial assistance, that is  now available online.  Click here for a directory of services in South County…  We will continue to work with service providers to refine this list, with a plan to develop an easy to read hand-out that may be distributed to those in need throughout the South County area.