EVERYDAY
RESOURCES
24/7 Support - Family Urgent Response System (FURS)
FURS is a free 24/7/365 hotline for current or former foster youth and your caregivers to call and get immediate help for any big or small issues you may be having.
CALL OR TEXT: 1-833-939-FURS | 1-833-939-3877
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California Foster Care Ombudsperson
https://fosteryouthhelp.ca.gov/foster-youth-rights/
California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson (OFCO) is to advocate on behalf of foster children and youth regarding their care, placement, and services. The OFCO is an autonomous entity that is empowered to investigate and informally resolve complaints impacting foster youth, increase awareness about foster youth rights, and make recommendations to help support systemic change.
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CalFresh:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ssp/food_stamps.html
CalFresh is a program for low-income families and individuals that meet certain income guidelines. CalFresh benefits help supplement your food budget and allow families and individuals to buy nutritious food.
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Something Special Funds:
http://promises2kids.org/something-special-fund/
The Something Special Fund provides support for foster children's wishes for special requests that most children take for granted. Special circumstances often arise in a foster child’s life where they need additional financial support for activities such as sports equipment, music classes, a class photo, or application fees to apply for college. Promises2Kids ensures foster children know that they too are special and deserving — and that someone cares.
My Benefits Cal WIN:
http://www.mybenefitscalwin.org/
This website is a fast and easy way for California residents to learn about and apply for medical, food, and cash assistance programs. MyBenefits CalWIN also provides ongoing access to secure and private benefit information. Select a topic below to get started or sign in to your account.
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Covered Til 26
http://coveredtil26.childrennow.org/
Children Now is spearheading Coveredtil26, a statewide outreach campaign to ensure all former foster youth living in California know they are eligible for free Medi-Cal coverage until age 26.
Polinsky Center:
http://promises2kids.org/polinsky-center/
Emergency Shelter, Developmental Screening and Enhancement Programs, Developmental Preschool, Pet Therapy, and a Youth2Youth Program, a peer-driven program provides emotional support and life skills training to current foster youth. The campus includes six residential cottages, an infant nursery, medical clinic, school, library, cafeteria, gymnasium, 2 swimming pools, 2 playgrounds, and an outdoor athletic field.
Snap Fresh:
SnapFresh is a website that helps you find the closest places that accept EBT cards (Food Stamps/SNAP)
Feeding San Diego:
Multiple community food distribution partnership locations in all counties. Specific distribution locations may be found within each regional section of this guide.
Hand Up Youth Food Pantry at JFS:
http://www.jfssd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_food_assistance_food_pantry
The Hand Up Youth Food Pantry delivers food to several locations throughout San Diego County. Food is distributed once a week at St. Paul’s Cathedral downtown, once a month at Camp Pendleton and Murphy Canyon Military Housing, and as needed to our clients at Chabad Downtown, College Avenue Center, Foodmobile, JFS Turk Family Center, and JFS North County Coastal office.
San Diego Food Bank:
The Food Bank works to acquire, store, organize, and distribute food through a network of 350 nonprofit partner organizations that include food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless and residential shelters, youth programs, senior centers, and low-income daycare centers in communities throughout San Diego County. The Food Bank also distributes food directly to those in need at 183 distribution sites throughout the county.
Foster Youth Wellness Website:
http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Foster-Youth-Wellness-Project
This site is designed to help foster youth and the adults in their lives learn more about pursuing wellness by providing links to youth friendly wellness resources. Here you'll find links to interactive tools, youth friendly websites, hands-on tools and worksheets, videos, articles, and more. All resources may be downloaded for personal use or educational purposes by foster youth and their adult allies.
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Cool Bed Program:
http://www.sdyouthservices.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Cool_Bed
Cool Bed is a voluntary short-term residential placement for youth that provides them and their families a break during stressful times. The Cool Bed program gives youth (ages 12 to 17) temporary shelter and structured yet nurturing supervision from a certified host family, providing youth and their families a two-week cooling off period. During the program, youth are transported to their regular school activities and provided individual/group counseling, family counseling, recreational activities, self-esteem development, anger management support, and independent living skills training. Cool Bed works toward successful family reunification at the end of the program and is committed to linking families to aftercare services.