Family Assistance Ministries

PROVIDE HOUSING STABILIZATION FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.

HUNGER PREVENTION FOOD PANTRY: EMERGENCY AND ONGOING NUTRITIOUS FOOD ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HUNGRY. THE FOOD IS PART OF THEIR OVERALL FINANCIAL PLAN TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR 7-DAYS A WEEK, FRESH RESCUES FROM LOCAL GROCERY STORES AND FARMS, USDA FOOD, SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK, OC FOOD BANK, AND FOOD DONATIONS FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCH AS CHURCHES, BUSINESSES, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, SCOUTS, AND INDIVIDUALS. LAST YEAR, 41,935 HUNGRY PEOPLE SOUGHT FAM AS A FOOD SOURCE THROUGH 285,894 ENCOUNTERS.AND 2,200 LOCAL VOLUNTEERS MAKE THIS AND OTHER FAM PROGRAMS POSSIBLE. FOOD DONATIONS ARE DISTRIBUTED AT FAM'S MAIN RESOURCE CENTER IN SAN CLEMENTE AS WELL AS AT OUR THREE SATELLITE OFFICES, A LOCAL SENIOR CENTER, AND SMALLER PANTRY PARTNERS. FAM ALSO PARTNERS WITH VARIOUS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FURTHER DISTRIBUTE FOOD AND PERSONAL CARE ITEMS TO EVEN MORE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. CLOTHING, ADULT AND CHILDREN'S DIAPERS, PET FOOD, TOILETRIES AND OTHER PERSONAL CARE ITEMS ARE ALSO DISTRIBUTED.

HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES: DIVERSION AND PREVENTION ARE KEY COMPONENTS OF FAM'S HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM. PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE CONNECTED TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS THROUGH FAM'S ROBUST HOMEWARD BOUND PROGRAM. CASE MANAGEMENT INCLUDING FINANCIAL COUNSEL, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION VOUCHERS, CAR REPAIR, CAR REGISTRATION, BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLIES, CLOTHING, JOB SEARCH COACHING, SENIOR-SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE, MEDICAL, DENTAL AND PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE ARE EXAMPLES OF SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO CLIENTS SEEKING A HAND-UP. ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AS A PART OF AN OVERALL FINANCIAL STABILIZING PLAN. BILLS ARE PAID DIRECTLY TO SERVICE PROVIDERS. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT FAM'S RESOURCE CENTER AND SATELLITES. LEVERAGING OUR LONG STANDING PRACTICE AND PROVEN APPROACH WE RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDS TO INCREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AS THE SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY AGENCY LEAD, FAM DISBURSED PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF 553 HOUSEHOLDS FOR RENTAL AND UTILITY COSTS IN ARREARS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN MAINTAINING THEIR HOUSING.

FAMILY HOUSE: FAMILY HOUSE SERVES A CRITICAL ROLE AS THE ONLY EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES IN SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY. THE PROGRAM SAFELY HOUSES SINGLE DADS, SINGLE MOMS, DUAL PARENT HOUSEHOLDS, THEIR CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN, OFFERING THEM HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES AND CONNECTING THEM TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND A HEALTH HOME. WE HELPED SIXTY-FIVE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE FAMILY HOUSE PROGRAM LAST YEAR. DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS WERE OFFERED FOR CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER. FINANCIAL COUNSELING, JOB SEARCH COACHING, AND OTHER LIFE SKILLS CLASSES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. PERSONAL CARE ITEMS, CLOTHING, DIAPERS, BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLIES, HOLIDAY GIFTS, AN AFTER-SCHOOL HOMEWORK PROGRAM THAT FOLLOWS THEM WHEN THEY MOVE TO PERMANENT HOUSING AND REFERRALS FOR OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDED ARE ALSO PROVIDED. THE GOAL IS TO HELP CLIENTS GRADUATE INTO THEIR OWN STABLE HOUSING AS QUICKY AS POSSIBLE.