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Our WIC CAN HELP campaign is designed to help the one million California families we serve to survive and protect their children’s health in these tough times. The campaign builds local agency staff capacity to inform and connect WIC families with all possible community assistance programs, from dental care to foreclosure counseling to utility assistance.

WIC CAN HELP identifies lesser-known referral resources, and makes sure the local WIC network can easily share the information with WIC participants using downloadable multi-language flyers or information. Each month, we share a new resource and referral “survival kit” which highlights assistance or program linkages that local WIC staff might suggest to young families in need. WIC CAN HELP is funded by grants from The California Endowment and Kaiser Permanente Community Benefits.

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SEPTEMBER: Housing Assistance

wichelpThis month, we provide resources on housing assistance for people with low and moderate incomes, including the elderly and the disabled, offered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD also contracts with state and local agencies to make sure everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. WIC Can Help by referring families to local resources for rental assistance, subsidized housing, foreclosure prevention, and other ways to keep a roof over their heads.

Help for Low-Income Individuals and Families

In California, public housing is administered directly through local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). For help in seeking Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV, formerly Section 8) or other public housing services, find phone, email, or mailing addresses for your local PHA here (by city or zip code). Or find the website for each in English or Spanish.

Contact one of the six regional offices of HUD in California (800-955-2232) for help finding rentals, avoiding foreclosure, filing fair housing discrimination complaints, getting reverse mortgages, or buying homes. HUD in California also assists those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

HUD can also help families in need search for a subsidized apartment in English or Spanish.

Help for People in Rural Areas

The California Department of Housing and Community Development's (HCD) Housing Assistance Program acts as the PHA for twelve rural counties: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Glenn, Inyo, Modoc, Mono, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne. HCD also provides a list of affordable rental units by county.

The USDA Housing and Community Facilities Programs (HCFP) provides a number of homeownership opportunities to rural Americans, as well as programs for home renovation and repair. HCFP also makes financing available to low-income or elderly, disabled, rural residents of multi-unit housing buildings to ensure they are able to make rent payments.

Help for Persons Living Homeless

The Governor’s Homeless Initiative provides loans and grants for rental assistance for persons with severe mental illness who are chronically homeless.