In recent years, home foreclosures and company layoffs have increased the number of homeless people locally and nationally. We operate three main services for this population.

Homeless Hotline

Our 24-hour homeless hotline is the first point of contact in Contra Costa County's continuum of care for people who are homeless. Through the hotline, homeless individuals and families are referred to shelter, emergency food, job training, health care, mental health counseling, transportation, substance abuse treatment, and other services.

Motel Vouchers

We receive a limited amount of funding to provide emergency motel vouchers to homeless families with children and homeless individuals who have a viable plan for transitioning out of homelessness. The vouchers entitle people to brief stays (one to five nights) in a local motel. The primary criterion is whether a voucher will make a difference and whether people are moving toward a longer-term solution to their housing problem. To be eligible, an indivdiual or family must have picture identification and verify that their most recent resident was in Contra Costa County. Beneficiaries can't have acute drug, alcohol, or mental health problems, can't have medical needs or disabilities that would prevent them from managing in standard lodging without professional support, and can't have been housed previously by our agency under similar circumstances.

Voice Mail

Without a phone number or permanent address, homeless people face challenges communicating with employers, service providers, family members, and others. This is why hundreds of homeless people in Contra Costa County receive free, personal voice mail boxes. The boxes are managed by the Baha'i Spiritual Assembly and are distributed to homeless people by case managers at local nonprofit agencies. Our agency operates a special toll-free number that homeless people call to check their personal messages, and we pay the phone bills on this line.

Anyone who's homeless and needs services can call 211 or our 24-hour homeless hotline (800.808.6444).