Sierra Roots offers weekly meals and clothing to people who are homeless. Clothing, including socks and shoes, is available every week. Individuals can get clothing once every two weeks.

During winter months, lunch served on Thursdays at 11:30am at the First Community Church at 300 Main Street, Nevada City.

During summer months, Thursday lunches are served at 11:30am at Pioneer Park, 421 Nimrod Street in Nevada City in the picnic area near the horseshoe pits.


Web pages

• Home - https://sierra-roots.org/

CalFresh, formerly known as Food Stamps and known federally as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), provides extra funds to help those who are in need each month to buy groceries.

With a CalFresh electronic “debit” card (known as EBT) you can buy most foods at many food stores and farmers markets.

Several Nevada County Farmers Markets offer a CalFresh matching program called Market Money (or Market Match), where you can double your CalFresh dollars up to a specified dollar amount per market per week. Amount may change from year to year.


Apply for CalFresh

Californians can visit BenefitsCal.com or GetCalFresh.org to apply or call 877-847-3663 (FOOD) to be connected to their local county social service office.

CalFresh is a low income program - the gross income limit is 200% of the Federal Poverty Line. However, CalFresh program rules are complex - some income is not countable, and some individuals with income below 200% FPL may not qualify for CalFresh.

If you have a hard time …

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Replace Lost or Damaged Food

People can request replacement benefits for food that they bought using CalFresh and that they lost or had damaged in an emergency such as fire, natural disaster, power outages, etc. A form must be submitted within 10 days of the end of an event, such as a power outage. Sometimes counties extend the deadline beyond 10 days.

To Apply for Replacement Benefits

Complete and submit Replacement or Disaster Supplement Affidavit (CF 303) to apply for CalFresh replacement benefits after disaster.

• In person - Nevada County Department of Social Services suggests that people come in person to a DSS office for most efficient service.
• Online - at BenefitsCal.com
• Fax completed form to 530-265-9860

Forms

• English CF 303 form
• Spanish CF 303 form

Locations

Grass Valley - Brighton Greens
988 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley, CA 95949
530-265-1340

Nevada City - Eric Rood Administrative Center
950 Maidu Ave, Suite 120, Nevada City, CA 95959
530-265-1340

Truckee - Nevada County Joseph Center
10075 L…

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Drop-in benefits information and application assistance is provided by the Navigator team from the Nevada County Department of Social Services at three libraries each month. Stop by if you need help enrolling in, or renewing your participation in, benefits programs such as

• Cash Assistance - CalWORKs & more
• Food Assistance - CalFresh
• Healthcare - Medi-Cal
• Housing
• In-Home Supportive Services
• Veterans Services

While these resources are always available to the public, having them all together during the Services Drop-In allows you to learn, at the same meeting, such things as what kind of support is available for seniors, how you can proceed with child support, and which doctors take your insurance. These are drop-in services and no appointment is necessary.

Social Services Drop-In days and locations

• Grass Valley Library, 207 Mill St, Grass Valley, CA 95945, 530-273-4117
  • First Tuesdays, 10:30am-12:30pm
  • First Saturdays, 10am-2pm
• Madelyn Helling Library, 980 Helling Way, Nevada City, CA 95959,…

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The San Juan Ridge PARTNERS Family Resource Center (FRC) provides families in the San Juan Ridge area with information and referrals to local resources, services, and facilities on a drop-in basis for visitors of all ages.

It also assists families with child development, parenting support, counseling, education, and employment tools. It also offers playgroups for families with children ages 0-5, and weekly activities for older children.

Note:

• The FRC does not have any housing resources and does NOT have any gift cards, gas cards, etc.
• The FRC does offer a computer, phone, fax, printer, children's play space, clothes closet, food pantry, diapers, lending and reference libraries, information, referrals, parenting support, weekly children's playgroup, summer camps, adult yoga, children's dance classes, and periodic events.

The San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center has laundry vouchers and bus passes free to clients upon request.

• Bus passes are issued as 2 o…

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2024 CalFresh Market Money (also known as Market Match) runs June 1 - Nov 23, 2024.

Spend CalFresh dollars at Western Nevada County Farmers Markets and receive up to a $10 match per market every week. Come to the Farmers Market Manager's booth, show EBT card and photo ID (must be a Nevada County resident), then Market Match tokens will be given to match EBT purchases (up to $10). Tokens can be used to buy qualified foods at participating farm stands. Market Match will be available at the TUESDAY and SATURDAY markets. See times and locations below.

Market Money can be used June 1 - Nov 23, 2024. Dates below are for the entire farmers market summer and fall season. Market Money tokens cannot be obtained or used after Nov 23, 2024.

2024 Farmers Markets offering this program:

GRASS VALLEY - SATURDAY MARKET

• April 20 – Nov 23, 2024 from 8am-12:30pm
• Pine Creek Shopping Center – in front of JCPenney,732 Freeman Lane, Grass Valley, CA 95949

GRASS VALLEY - TUESDAY MARKET

• May 7 – September 10, 2024 from…

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Spirit Peer Empowerment Center offers support groups for people experiencing homelessness and/or mental health challenges.

Support services include:

• Staff can administer naloxone Narcan in case of opioid overdose (naloxone is the drug, Narcan is a brand)
• Housing Circle - assists with completing low income apartment applications, Craigslist searching, housing advocacy, and more. Call 530-274-1431 for meeting time info.
• WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) education, an eight week course supporting individuals to succeed at the goals they set for themselves, including looking at triggers and addictions and ways to get beyond them
• Food distribution to those in need
• Hot showers for program participants - They offer 5 showers per day, 10am-1:30pm. It's recommended to be there a bit before they open at 10am to get one as they are first come, first served. Shower is ADA-compliant, but not roll in. Please notify in advance if needed.
• Laundry facilities for program participants
• Clothing closet …

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United Way of Nevada County allocates donated funds from annual fundraising campaign to qualified Nevada County non-profit human service organizations; forwards donor designated funds to non-profit health and human service organizations; collaborates with local government, education, local businesses and humans service organizations.

Programs include:

• MED-Project - program to help dispose of expired or unwanted medication, inhalers, and sharps. They are now able to provide pre-paid envelopes and sharps containers to anyone in need. Please come by our office to pick up envelopes or containers. Please note that this is NOT a medication drop-off. They do not take your items, but provide you with a safe, free option to dispose of your medical leftovers. https://uwnc.org/med-project
• Food Access Saturday - Free food distribution every Saturday at 440 Henderson Street, Grass Valley (10 AM - 1 PM). https://uwnc.org/food-access-saturday-1
• School Food Pantry - Access to healthy food beyond the…

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Connecting Point offers Nevada County residents assistance with signing up for CalFresh.

Call 211 or 833-342-5211 for a referral to a Navigator who will contact you and guide you through the application process.

Web pages

• Home - https://connectingpoint.org/

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The SAFE (Stability, Access, Foundation, Empowerment) program is committed to finding and helping youth ages 12 -26 who are experiencing homelessness.

Many youth experiencing homelessness do not have access to local or state funding or simply don’t know what services are available. And few nonprofit organizations in the region can help. SAFE fills the gap by connecting youth who have alternative, unpredictable, or inconsistent housing access with community resources and well-trained professionals.

SAFE helps mitigate homelessness in Nevada County by providing:

• Basic needs, such as food, clothing, housing, hygiene supplies, showers
• Education and training, including transitioning to college and/or trade school
• Physical health and mental wellness counseling
• Training to develop the necessary skills to live independently

Web pages

• Home - https://bffyouth.org/safe/