10 Ways Home Start Is Helping San Diego Families Through The Pandemic
Rental Assistance: We have programs in several cities including El Cajon, La Mesa, and Santee, available to distribute funding to cover unpaid rents due to COVID-19 hardships.
Family Support: We continue to assist in the case management of families with children in the child welfare system, including clinical assessments, parent education classes, First Steps family support services for children up to five years old, Domestic Violence services, and complex trauma therapy services for children.
Shelter: We provide temporary housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in El Cajon along with case management, food, stabilization resources, and hotel vouchers. Many exit into stable or transitional housing through our partner programs.
Utility Assistance: In the City of El Cajon, we are helping families who have lost income due to the pandemic with covering their utility costs.
Food Distribution: We provide up to 1000 meals a week across East County, thanks to our partnership with the Lucky Duck Foundation and connect those in need to the San Diego County CalFresh program.
Transportation & Emergency Support: We provide individuals with transportation and emergency support, including bus fare, food, and clothing.
Diaper Distribution: We have generous donors that supply us with diapers, which allows us to distribute them to all of our clients in need.
Drive-through events: Our Communities in Action program has partnered with DEEP and five elementary schools including Encanto Elementary and Chollas Mead Elementary to provide care packages including grocery gift cards, hygiene kits, and children’s books.
Financial & Tax Assistance: Through our VITA tax assistance program we are assisting low-income households with their 2020 income tax preparations, ensuring they receive all available deductions for their families.
We Are Here: Most importantly, during this difficult time, we continue to be available to answer the needs of our community. By working safely, our staff has been able to carry on with the majority of our essential services and pivot to meet the specific challenges of this pandemic.
