Home Start's COVID-19 Response

At Home Start, we are committed to providing assistance to local San Diego families in need.

As we take time to reflect on the unprecedented challenges of last year, we are grateful to share this overview below of how Home Start served San Diego children and families devastated by the effects of the pandemic.

Your donations help us support and protect San Diego’s most vulnerable families during this challenging time.

In 2020, thanks to our generous donors and community partners, our core program areas provided the following services:

Rental Assistance

Home Start provided 216 households with rental assistance, keeping these families up-to-date on rent, sheltered, and off the streets.

Utility Assistance

Over 40 residents of El Cajon at risk of homelessness received utility and rental assistance.

Transportation & Emergency Support

Utility Assistance

Home Start staff assisted 116 individuals with transportation needs and 683 with emergency supports, including food and clothing.

Financial & Tax Assistance

Home Start staff and volunteers completed 671 free income tax preparations, 70 back tax preparations and opened 93 matched savings accounts.

Shelter

We provided over 100 individuals experiencing homelessness with case management, food, stabilization resources, and hotel vouchers.

Food Distribution

Home Start provided 1000 meals a week to neighbors living on the streets, in partnership with the Lucky Duck Foundation, AND connected over 300 families to CalFresh.

Diaper Distribution

We had many generous donors supply us with diapers for more than 80 households.

Drive Thru Events

Our Communities in Action program partnered with Encanto Elementary, Chollas Mead Elementary and local agencies to provide 153 families with care packages that included grocery gift cards, hygiene kits, and children’s books.

Family Support

Our Community Services for Families staff provided 4,930 hours of case management for 150 parents in the child welfare system, 46 clinical assessments for families in the child welfare system, and 12 parent education classes. Plus, 112 families through our First Steps family support services, 120 households with Domestic Violence services, and 52 children experiencing complex trauma received therapy services and 569 comprehensive needs assessments.

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic linger on, Home Start is committed to providing rapid assistance to local San Diego families in crisis. Together, we can help them get through this pandemic and ensure they have hope for a brighter future.

Interested in supporting our programs? Please consider making a donation.

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