Sacramento County assistance programs.

Locate assistance with bills

There are a variety of assistance services and programs offered to the local Sacramento community, ranging from counseling, foreclosure prevention, rent and housing assistance, to providing residents with clothing and food. Here are a sampling of the charities, organizations, and other agencies.

• Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center - As a result of the Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Homeless Prevention Project, this organization provides utility bill assistance, help with paying rent, and even hotel and motel vouchers to eligible families and individuals who may be facing foreclosure, eviction, or homelessness. (916) 455-2160
   
• Roseville Home Start Inc. - Helps transitions the homeless, including families and children into sustainable, affordable, and long term, permanent housing and also provide them with self-sufficiency tools. (916) 782-6667
   
• NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center - Sacramento Region - This national agency runs assistance programs that provide so called post-purchase counseling for delinquency problems or foreclosure prevention. These, and other services, are also provided through the Sacramento branch of the Home Ownership Center. Read more.
   
• St. Vincent de Paul Society, Roseville Area Conference, Inc. - This organization helps people who are seeking shelter, supplemental groceries, food, diapers, hygiene and other basic medical supplies. (916) 781-3303.
   
• River City Community Services - Offers housing assistance. They have a Rental Assistance Program to assist families with avoiding an eviction from their home or apartment. (916) 446-2627

 

 

 

• Women's Empowerment - Counseling to homeless women is provided, and it directs them to resources and services that are available. They also provide basic direct services and aid including food, bus passes, and free clothing.
   
• United Christian Centers of the Greater Sacramento Area, Inc., which, through its Transitional Housing Program, addresses the housing needs of economically disadvantaged, homeless families in West Sacramento by providing a safe and supportive environment for the clients.
   
• Salvation Army Del Oro Division – This is in the Sac Metro/Sac County area. It helps people secure a safe place to live while providing emergency financial assistance and help with bills, including housing, meals, laundry service, toiletries, referrals and counseling to those in need of help with bills. 916-563-3700
   
• Center for Fathers and Families -Provides food and help with paying utility bills to families who are actively enrolled or if they have graduated from a Center for Fathers and Families program. 916.568.DADS (3237)
   
• Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada - This program helps local residents move out of transitional housing and long-term shelters and into permanent housing by helping them file applications, meet eligibility requirements, and the organization can also provide financial support for help with paying security deposits and first month’s rent for their housing.

 

Sacramento financial assistance programs that are offered across California

In addition to all of the agencies, non-profits, government programs, and other resources listed on this page, Sacramento families can contact other financial assistance programs that can help anyone in California. They are listed below.

• California free HUD foreclosure prevention
• California foreclosure assistance and mortgage programs
• California energy and utility help
• California Section 8 low income housing
• California health care from community clinics
• California free health care
• California free legal aid
• California food pantries and banks
• California clinics offer dental care
• Programs that focus on rent help in Sacramento. Click here.

 

• California Emergency Foodlink - Gives food aid. They are a distributor of emergency food throughout the Sacramento area and they use local agencies that serve specific zip codes. 1-800-283-9000
   
• Health for All, Inc. - Las Palmas Community Clinic - Receive health care based upon your income. Fees are on a sliding scale. Dial (916) 924-6703. Find additional clinics in Sacramento.
   
• Community Resource Project - The Housing Division at Community Resource Project, Inc. works to both provide grants and funds for paying utility bills, and also to improve the energy efficiency of homes and to reduce the impact of energy bills on peoples budgets. They make energy saving improvements to homes (such as insulation, appliances and more), provide direct payments for utility bills, manage weatherization programs, and offer people direct credits on their utility bills.

 

 

• ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions (formerly ByDesign) - This non-profit credit counseling organization offers debt reduction, personal finance education, confidential individual credit repair and repayment and debt counseling, debt reduction and management plans, pre-purchase counseling and foreclosure prevention counseling to Sacramento area homeowners and consumers. 877-422-9045, or click here to read about debt assistance programs.
   
• Greater Sacramento Urban League - If you need help finding a job, or ways to develop your skills, this agency can help. The organization offers a wide variety of employment services, including tuition free education, computer job skills training, information on scholarships and grants, job placement and training, and access to after school programs preparing adults, adjudicated youth, and ex-offenders for economic self sufficiency and new jobs. 916.286.8600.
   
• Legal Services of Northern California - This non-profit law firm provides access to lawyers who provide free legal assistance and advice to low to moderate income persons and individuals in the areas of health, housing, foreclosure prevention, education, family law, rent assistance and eviction prevention, income maintenance, employment, civil rights, and debt counseling. Learn more.
   
• Centro Guadalupe - Catholic Charities - This agency offers tax preparation assistance, case advocacy, information and referral, counseling, utility bill assistance for residents of the City of Sacramento, limited rent help, and seasonal special events. Dial (916) 443-5367
   
• River City Food Bank - The primary service offered is a three-day supply of emergency food once a month to people in need. They can even provide baby food and formula, which can be obtained on a drop-in basis or by referral. From time to time funds may be available for rent help. Phone (916) 446-2627.
   
• Sacramento Home Loan Counseling Center - Homeowners who are struggling with paying their mortgage can contact this Sacramento agency for free foreclosure prevention counseling. Counselors will provide free foreclosure help for borrowers who are having trouble making their monthly mortgage payments. Results offered from the agency include short sale, loan modifications, forbearance, repayment, , and they can even offer deed in-lieu of foreclosures.  Call (916) 646-2005.
   
• Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services - Offers free services that helping clothe, feed, housing assistance, educate and uplift people in need. (916) 456-1980.
   
• Capitol Community Health Network - This is a partnership of local health care clinics and medical professionals. They offer information and referrals to health care services and local clinics for low to moderate income persons in Sacramento County. Social support as well as medical care are both offered. Call (916) 447-7222.
   
• Mercy Clinic - Loaves & Fishes - Offers health care for homeless and poor. (916) 446-3345.
   
• Capitol City Adventist Community Services - Serves food to the needy on one Monday per month. Dial (916) 381-5353

 

 

 

• Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services - Main Office - Call them at (916) 451-5920. A number of food assistance programs are offered. In addition, they work closely with charities, and this agency can also provide clothing, mother baby programs, and other aid. Also click here for more information on food pantries.
   
• Cathedral of Praise & Worship Center - Food Program - A food bag can be provided up to once per month. Dial (916) 568-7606
   
• Meadowview Community Action Inc. - This Sacramento California based agency operates three Head Start centers serving around 200 3-5 year olds per year, as well as a separate Head Start program for slightly older kids. This also administer an Emergency Assistance program offering emergency financial assistance and grants to several hundred families per year. (916) 399-9116
   
• Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency - The Rapid Re-Housing Program and Homelessness Prevention program can provide both short and long term rent help. Up to 18 months worth of housing assistance. In addition funds for paying energy bills, moving costs, and deposits is also available.  (916) 440-1317
   
• Free or low cost foreclosure and credit counseling: The county is supported by several non-profit credit counseling and HUD certified organizations. Individuals who enroll with these these various agencies may be able to receive free or low cost counseling and advice. Find listing of Sacramento credit counseling agencies and get details on the services they offer clients.

California Indian Manpower Consortium (CIMC) - Programs are administered for Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Services include job referrals and counseling. Also apply for emergency financial assistance and grants for paying for food, housing, utilities, employment expenses, and education bills. 738 North Market Blvd., Sacramento, California 95834, dial (916) 920-0285

Folsom Cordova Community Partnership runs the Family Resource Center. Helps with needs of entire family. Intervention services administered that are geared toward the connecting low income and needy individuals and families with services and assistance that may be needed such as Safety Net. Get help with paying electric and utility bills, rent, fresh food program, diapers, baby formula, diapers and transportation. They also run the state of California SMUD energy bill assistance program. 10665 Coloma Road, Suite 200
Rancho Cordova, California 95670, (916) 361-8684

Powerhouse Ministries - On a sporadic basis offers rent and utility bill assistance. 705 Wales Drive Folsom, California 95630, phone (916) 983-0658

Veterans Resource Center - Veterans or their families can get grants for paying for utility deposits and bills, transportation, and rent and housing. 7270 E Southgate Drive, Sacramento, California 95823, (916) 393-8387

Sacramento Salvation Army (Family Services) - Seniors and disabled can get help with their City of Sacramento water bills. They also run the REACH helps pay for PG&E bills as well as PLEDGE program which helps with SMUD bills. 4350 Raley Blvd., Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95838, (916) 678-4010

South County Services - People in an emergency can get help with food closet. Other programs assist individuals and families obtaining access to medical care and health services. Also get information and referral, emergency food, rental/mortgage assistance, immigration services, client advocacy, community medical transportation, bus/gasoline vouchers, and utility bill assistance. 539 North Lincoln Way, Galt, California 95632, (209) 745-9174

Non-financial aid, including food in Sacramento

Regardless of your income, religion, or background the county is served by a number of local and national food distribution centers. Whether it is the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, or your local church there are a number of places to turn to for free food, groceries, items such as clothing and personal hygiene products, and case management and counseling. Rarely will an individual or their family be turned away if they ask for assistance. Read more Sacramento food pantries and find a comprehensive listing of locations to call or stop by at for help.