General Assistance cash grant

The following residents of Contra Costa County may apply for cash grants from the local community action agency.

• Unemployed families or individuals who need help finding a job
• County residents whose earnings are not more than the maximum allowed by the grant program.
• Incapacitated residents who are applying for other forms of government assistance or continuing support, or if someone is eligible for other support.

The amount of the grant provided will vary according to the number of people in the household, the income level, and the employability status of the recipient. Note that grant amounts provided to applicants may change from year to year due to funding or other reasons.

Childcare services

The Community Action program (number below) provides comprehensive childcare services for approximately 3,000 families every year during the school year. They can provide the child care assistance by combining state, federal, and local childcare funding into one general assistance program. For children who are aged zero to five, we have full-day, part-day, full-year and part-year programs. Nearly all eligible families will receive some type of childcare at no cost to the applicant.

Contact the Community Action Agency at 40 Douglas Drive, Martinez, CA 94553, or call them at (925) 646-5540.

 

 

Contra Costa Foreclosure Prevention

Some non-profit organizations to contact for mortgage and foreclosure help include

• Pacific Community Services - 925-439-1056. This organization provides Mortgage Default Relief Measures, housing counseling, mediation, and other solutions to mortgage problems.
• A Housing Counseling program was created by Catholic Charities in partnership with other local non-profit groups. Dial (925) 825-3099 (x306) for more information and access to foreclosure programs.
• Mt. Diablo Housing Opportunity Center - Housing Rights, Inc. (866-469-0133) also can help homeowners. They offer reverse mortgage counseling, free foreclosure counseling and home preservation education to people struggling with their mortgages.

The Contra Costa Home Equity Preservation Alliance (HEPA) was created from a partnership of local agencies and non-profit organizations and it brings together the expertise of federal government certified HUD counseling agencies. Counselors will work directly with the homeowner and provide Mortgage Delinquency, Foreclosure Counseling and Default Resolution Assistance with professional and well trained legal service providers. Get assistance and access to counseling to homeowners about unpaid and delinquent mortgage loans, loss mitigation and their options. Receive free legal advice about foreclosure process and go over all of your legal options. Counselors can also negotiate directly with your mortgage servicer or loan provider to explore options and come up with solutions. Some of the agencies that are part of the partnership include Housing Rights, Inc. ((800) 261-2298) and Bay Area Legal Aid (phone (800) 551-5554).

Find additional ways to get mortgage and foreclosure help.

Low income housing and rent assistance

SHELTER, Inc. has three main objectives, including preventing homelessness by helping prevent evictions, they encourage self-sufficiency of low income individuals, and they can help currently homeless people. The non-profit organization can provide one-time financial assistance with paying a portion of either the security deposit or monthly rent for rental housing and apartments in Contra Costa County. In addition, a limited amount of funding is also available to prevent mortgage foreclosure by homeowners in the County. (925) 335-0698.

More financial assistance as well as free advice and funds to prevent an eviction can be obtained in Contra Costa. Read about other Contra Costa rent programs.

Crisis Assistance

Catholic Charities of Contra Costa and the Bay area ((925) 825-3099) runs a Critical Family Needs program. This service provides qualified families and individuals with a one-time grant and/or cash assistance. The funds are provided on an emergency basis, and the program is available only for a limited number of qualified families and individuals, including the unemployed, elderly and seniors, disabled, and other low income individuals. Cash assistance is provided to those people who are experiencing a short term hardship or some type of emergency crisis and needing emergency help to maintain their family well-being. the money can be used to pay rent, energy bills, mortgage, medical bills, or other expenses. Because the demand for emergency help is greatly exceeding the available funds in this weak economy, only a small percentage of eligible applicants receive assistance from the Critical Family Needs program.

The Salvation Army has locations in Antioch, Concord, and Richmond. Dial 925-676-6180. The locations can offer funds for paying energy bills, free food, clothing, rent assistance, referrals, and a host of other assistance programs. Learn more on electric bill help.

Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services has offices around the county, including in Richmond, Pleasant Hill, and Brentwood. Dial 510-412-3280. The agency administers a one-time only rental payment paid directly to the landlord or housing complex to prevent loss of housing by eligible families due to financial hardship or some type of unexpected emergency, not for lease violations.

Rent help from Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing. Dial 925-957-7575. The program, which is abbreviated as HPRP Rapid Re-Housing, may be able to provide funding to assist Contra Costa residents who are living in rental housing but are in jeopardy of losing their current rental housing and facing an eviction. Mortgage assistance is not available through the HPRP. Clients must be facing imminent eviction, and show that they are facing a short term hardship but can get back on track with paying rent over the long term.

Contra Costa non-profits and assistance programs that cover the entire state of California

Get information on other assistance programs that can help both San Diego residents, and that also assist families and individuals throughout the state.

• California section 8 housing programs
• California HUD foreclosure prevention
• California energy bill help
• California foreclosure and mortgage programs
• California food banks and pantries
• California free legal assistance
• California health care centers
• California rescue missions
• California health care clinics
• California dental centers
• California medical bill laws

Health care clinics and medical bills

Several local community health care clinics in the Contra Costa County area include the following. Call any of them to make an appointment or to learn more.

Brookside Community Health Center - Richmond - 510 215-5001
Berkeley Free Clinic - 800-625-4624
BAART Community HealthCare-East County - 925-522-0124

These facilities provide health and maybe dental care on a fee/sliding scale, and some may be able to offer free medical care. If those centers can’t provide the medical or dental assistance you need, locate additional clinics in Contra Costa.

 

 

Debt help and credit counseling in Contra Costa

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the East Bay, including Concord and Oakland - Work with a credit or HUD certified housing counselor to receive personal credit counseling. Other services include debt management plans, housing advising services including foreclosure prevention counseling and advice, bankruptcy counseling, financial education services, credit report analysis, and online money management counseling. Counselors can also refer clients to programs offered by banks, such as Chase assistance programs. Phone 866-889-9347.

Food banks and pantry

The following non-profits provide free food or other types of aid.

• Extra Helpings Food Program - Food Bank CC/Solano - Concord, CA 925-313-6761
• Food Pantry - Antioch Ministerial Fellowship - Antioch, CA 925-757-1672
• Christ the King - St. Vincent de Paul - Pleasant Hill California. Phone 925-682-2486.
• First Baptist Church - Pittsburg
• Find the addresses, hours and phone numbers of dozens of other food distribution centers. Locate more Contra Costa food pantries.