Resources are current as of February, 2021
Provided as a service by the AV Equity Committee
Download this resource guide as a PDF in
English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean
Need assistance? Please contact your school counselor:
Arroyo Vista: Kimberly Woo
Marengo: Katherine Hutto
Monterey Hills: Marina Thompson
SPMS: Sandra Jarrous, Diana Olivarez,
Kimberly Woo, Marcile Montoya
SPHS: Maria (Long) Chelko, Patty Dominique, Tracy Ishimaru
Olinda Cazares , Marylin Garcia
Have questions about this guide:
Please contact: [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- FOOD
- UTILITIES AND BILL ASSISTANCE
- MEDICAL AND DENTAL
- HOUSING
- MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
- CHILDCARE
- ACADEMIC
- SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FOR AV FAMILIES
- GENERAL LOS ANGELES AREA RESOURCES
FOOD
Free Meals Through SPUSD
Pick up times and locations:
Arroyo Vista Elementary School
335 El Centro St.
South Pasadena, CA10:45am – 12:30pm
South Pasadena High School
1327 Diamond Ave.
South Pasadena, CA7:30am – 8:30am and
10:45am – 12:30pm
Food and Nutrition Services Number: (626)441-5820 x 2950
Breakfast and lunch will be provided on school days.
There is drive-through and walk-through service.
Holy Family Church -Giving Bank (Food Pantry)
1527 Fremont Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 799-8908
Mondays from 9AM-10:45AM
Please contact Holy Family/Marlene Moore for more information.
Saint James Episcopal Church-Food Locker
1325 Monterey Rd.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Food Pantry every Friday from 1:30PM-2:00PM (can arrive up to 30 minutes early only) No paperwork required or questions asked. Families are provided with fresh produce, bread, and pantry items.
There is also a small free food library with canned goods in front of the church on Monterey Rd.
Calvary Presbyterian Church
1050 Fremont Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Calvary has a small free library with canned goods and pantry items that is restocked daily. This is located at the corner of Oxley and Fremont.
In addition, their student mission program can provide gift cards for food and gasoline for families in need.
Please contact Maribel in the main office to apply. (626) 799-7148
UTILITIES AND BILL ASSISTANCE
City of South Pasadena Water and Wastewater
Due to COVID, there are currently no water shutoffs and late fees are delayed.
Southern California Edison
Per their website, they are temporarily suspending service disconnections and waiving late fees by request. If you are having difficulty paying your bill, contact them to discuss and explore eligibility for a payment arrangement or other financial assistance. Per website, they offer one time financial assistance of up to $300 for those who qualify. Extensions or Payment Options: 1-800-950-2356
https://www.sce.com/residential/assistance
For a full list of pandemic related assistance available through city providers:
MEDICAL AND DENTAL
Young and Healthy
This program provides donated healthcare to children ages 0-18 who live or go to school in Altadena, Sierra Madre, or South Pasadena. These services are provided at no cost. This agency also provides health insurance support at any age/income level, with an expertise in low income families. They will help families get linked to insurance and assist with any barriers to obtaining insurance. Contact Young and Healthy at 626.795.5166 or https://yhpasadena.org.
HOUSING
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program
This program will provide residents who have lost income due to COVID-19 and meet federal low-income requirements with a one time grant of $1000 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Applications may be submitted via email or in person by calling to schedule an appointment.
*** Applications due by 2/2/21.
Applications are available online at:
https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/residents/housing/fair-housing/emergency-rental-assistance-program
Contact information:
[email protected]
(626) 491-3869
Housing Rights Center
This is a non-profit civil-rights organization that provides fair housing services to landlords and tenants. They are contracted with the city of South Pasadena to assist with discrimination complaints and landlord-tenant disputes.
Pasadena HRC:
1020 Fair Oaks
Pasadena, CA
Toll free: 1 (800) 477-5977
TTY: (213) 201-0867
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Care Solace- Referral Service
The district has teamed up with Care Solace, which is an online resource offering a live, 24 hours per day, seven days per week concierge designed to help individuals find local mental health-related programs and counseling services. The Care Solace navigation system taps into a vast database of mental healthcare resources to help families find carefully vetted local therapists and programs in minutes.
Students and staff and their families may access Care Solace services in three ways:
- Call (888) 515-0595 to speak with someone from the concierge team
- Email the team at [email protected]
- Visit this custom SPUSD link atcaresolace.com/spusd
- Answer ten easy questions to receive an extensive list of referrals to care providers. Care Solace takes into account all types of private insurance including Medi-Cal, Medicaid, and Medicare and those that have no insurance. The platform also filters by age, gender, zip code and special request.
Representatives are standing by to take your call or respond to your email 24/7. The Care Solace concierge team speaks English, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese. If your family speaks a different language, Care Solace will find translation services to work with you.
Care Solace services are now available to you at no cost. Care Solace does not require a name, address, phone number, or date of birth. All information provided to Care Solace is completely confidential and securely stored. Please note, this service is optional and is not mandatory in any way.
CHILDCARE
Options for Learning
This agency provides free childcare referrals for the South Pasadena area AND will assess eligibility for free/low cost childcare.
Phone: (626) 856-5900, Call Monday-Friday from 8:00AM-5:00PM to speak with a referral specialist or do an online search at:
https://www.optionsforlearning.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=311527&type=d&pREC_ID=718707
Community Care Licensing
This organization provides oversight and enforcement for all licensed childcare and family daycares. You can do a search for your childcare needs by zip code and view what is available, as well as information regarding any citations or complaints related to the facility.
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/community-care-licensing/facility-search-welcome
As of 1/22/21, a search for school-age children centers yielded the following results:
My K Kids
1507 Garfield Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(323) 258-3690
Kids Klub
1515 Garfield Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-2688
Beyond the Classroom
304 Pasadena Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 394-8954
ACADEMIC
Tutoring
South Pasadena sponsors online tutoring for math, science, English, social studies, essay writing, resume writing, job hunting, help with Excel, and more. Live tutors are available from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. in English and Spanish. Live tutoring services do not require a free account, but with one, extra services such as math problems, essay drop-off, practice quizzes, and more are available. Access on your favorite desktop browser, or on Android or iOS devices through the app. Sponsored by the Friends of the South Pasadena Library. To access:
https://lhh.tutor.com/?ProgramGUID=a78f01db-b9e5-4eed-b332-79cf6eba40f5
SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FOR AV FAMILIES
AV Gives Back
If your family is in need of donations, AV Gives Back can assist with items such as food, clothing, educational activities, and more. AV Families will be notified via the weekly Wildcat as needs arise. Names of families in need and donors will be kept anonymous. To receive donations, please contact Kelly Kwan at (925) 818-8728 or [email protected]
GENERAL LOS ANGELES AREA RESOURCES
211 LA
https://www.211la.org/ is a guide to services, resources, and linkages in Los Angeles. Call 211 or go online to get matched with resources near you. The hotline is 24/7 with English/Spanish and interpretation for over 150 languages.
Department of Public Social Services (DPSS)
DPSS offers Medi-Cal health insurance, CalFresh food assistance, CalWorks cash assistance for families, and General Relief cash assistance for individuals.
Nearest DPSS office is located at:
955 N. Lake Ave.
Pasadena, 91104
(818) 701-8200
Start the application process here:
https://yourbenefits.laclrs.org/ybn/Register.html
CalFresh Food Benefits
CalFresh provides food benefits to help people buy most foods at most grocery stores. People with low income can apply for CalFresh any time. If you have a change in income, even a temporary one because of the coronavirus, you can apply. Benefits are provided via an EBT card, which can be used to purchase food/ groceries in-person and through some online retailers, like Amazon and Walmart.
To apply, visit CalFresh.org or call 1-877-847-3663 (1-877-847-FOOD).
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Food Benefits
WIC serves children up to age 5, pregnant women, and new mothers. Parents, foster parents, grandparents, or guardians can enroll children up to age 5. Working families and migrant families may also apply.
WIC helps get access to healthy foods, provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and offers help in finding health care and other community services.
If you lost your job because of COVID-19, you can apply for WIC. You can also apply if your income changed or if you are unable to work, even temporarily due to COVID-19.
Visit MyFamily.WIC.ca.gov, or call 1-888-942-9675 for more information.