Community Resources for Food, Medical, Mental Health

SDCOE has compiled community resources and information for school staff members to quickly and easily provide support to families in need as changes in federal and state laws and funding impact our communities. 

As of April 2026, there are new changes to CalFresh and Medi-Cal programs that affect who can get benefits, work rules, and enrollment for certain people. Most people will continue to qualify for benefits.

In San Diego County, more than 395,000 children, families, and individuals rely on CalFresh benefits. CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low income. The benefits can be used to buy most food at many markets and food stores. The program helps improve our community’s health and well-being by providing families and individuals a way to meet their nutritional needs.

For any questions or assistance about CalFresh or Medi-Cal benefits, families can contact the County of San Diego Access Customer Service Center at 1-866-262-9881, visit a local Family Resource Center, or check online through your BenefitsCal portal. 

Informational Resources

• The County of San Diego has an informational webpage with information on the federal changes that impact CalFresh and Medi-Cal.
• The County's Community Toolkit webpage has resources to inform your school community, including presentations, videos, and frequently asked questions. You can also submit a request to have the county present to your community on CalFresh and Medi-Cal changes.  

211 San Diego

211 San Diego is a free, 24-hour, confidential phone service and searchable online database. Families can call 2-1-1 or go online and get connected with local food pantries, meal programs, and many other essential services. Support is available in more than 200 languages. This is the place to start for families in need or looking for information. 

Food Banks

San Diego Food Bank has a searchable database online to make it easy to find a food distribution near you. Included in the map are more than 30 Neighborhood Distribution Program sites, which distribute food to thousands of individuals and families once a month through drive-thru or walk-up service. 

Feeding San Diego offers food assistance at sites throughout San Diego County. Find a distribution site near you. 

San Diego County Food Pantries: SDCOE has gathered a list of available food pantries by region. 

Health and Medical Care

YMCA of San Diego County: Serves caregivers of children aged 0-16 through health and well-being services such as oral health, vision, vaccines, health clinics, sexual health, CalAIM, and mental health and substance use prevention services.

Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC): Supports parents of children with disabilities by providing access to disability related service navigation

Project All Smiles Inc: Serves school-aged children, people who are unhoused, military families and veterans, and seniors/adults with special needs through vision, vaccines, oral health, health clinics, sexual health, CalAIM, and health education.

Mental Health

YMCA Youth and Family Services: Provides mental health and substance use prevention services to youth ages 5-21 who are uninsured, underinsured, or Medi-Cal eligible.

Douglas Young Youth and Family Services: Provides mental health and substance abuse prevention services for children and young people ages 5-21.

SDCOE Mental Health: Provides mental health resources for parents and caregivers, students, and school employees.

Immigration and Legal Aid

Community Resources for Immigration, Asylum, and Refugee Cases: These resources include more than a dozen organizations in San Diego and Orange counties and the services they provide.

General

Tools for Schools: A searchable resource database from Live Well San Diego for schools to find free or low-cost resources that will help meet immediate needs and can guide long-term planning.