Local Resources
Cold Weather Shelter
Shelter in churches all over Whittier. Admin at St. Matthias Church.
Contact person: Whittier Area Interfaith Council, Chair of CSW committee, Dottie Andersen coordinator. dottie.andersen@gmail.com
562-652-4467
Types of Services:
- For 25+ years - overnight shelter and toilets
- 7 nights late November to early March
- Dinner and breakfast
- Mat provided and blanket
Persons Served: Anyone
Number of Persons Served: 40 per night November-March.
Requirements for Persons To Be Served: Must complete an application and be approved by the coordinator.
Application Process: Yes; anytime, but before November.
Services Begin: If approved as 1 of 40- can have bed every night November-March
Length of Wait: CWS is full of people who have been there for years. Allowed into the 40 only if someone drops out or is terminated.
Waiting List: Depends; usually 20-40 people.
Funding Resources: Grant from the city, donations from churches and individuals.
Material Resources: Churches provide space for $300 per week, although some donate funds back. Donations of blankets and food, meal service and overnight supervisors are provided by churches, synagogue, and masjid.
Staffing: Sometimes pay persons to do overnight supervision. Ben transports mats.
Volunteers: 2 per night and meal service crew; from churches, synagogue, masjid, and the community. Board members from all faith groups in Whittier.
Capacity: 40, will go over if an emergency, especially if it's a family.
Fundraisers: One music event a year (donated musician).
Short-Term Needs: Awareness of need. Help with fundraising. Fundraising for hotels for families. More churches with handicapped-accessible space. More volunteers for overnight supervision, or funds for overnight paid staff.
Long-Term Needs: Year-round shelter and hotels for families.
Gaps: Need year-round shelter. There is no crisis housing for families except CWS until they are vetted by other agencies.
Interfaith Food Center
11819 Burke Street
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
www.interfaithfoodcenter.org
(562) 903-1478
The Interfaith Food Center is a non-faith-based, charity organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the hungry and homeless neighbors in Whittier, La Mirada and Santa Fe Springs. IFC was founded in 1983 as a community-based food distribution center, serving some 30 low-income local families.
Today, IFC is one of the largest food pantries in California, serving more than 1,300 households on a weekly basis from a 6800 square foot warehouse/distribution facility equipped with commercial refrigerators and freezers and a walk-in cooler unit to properly handle & store food donations. Clients receive free weekly nutritional food assistance through the Food Distribution Program. Low-income families and individuals who live in Whittier, La Mirada and Santa Fe Springs are eligible for bagged groceries weekly. A client’s weekly food allotment includes canned goods, dairy and deli-meat products, bread and fresh produce. The IFC secures 8 to 10 meals for each family. Food helps to nourish families and individuals, strengthens the frail elderly, and helps children perform better in school.HOMELESS LUNCH PROGRAM - Homeless individuals receive a daily sack lunch. The sack lunch program serves the homeless population of Whittier, La Mirada, Santa Fe Springs, and the surrounding communities, and individuals must live on the street, motel, car, and or shelter to qualify. A sack lunch is provided daily; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Sack lunches consist of a lunch on the go; muffin, hard boiled egg, granola bars, sandwich or salad, tuna kit, drink and fresh fruit. Participants are also provided with personal care items when supplies are available.
L.A. Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (LA CADA)
11015 Bloomfield Ave
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
www.lacada.com
(562) 906-2686
LACADA provides professional care for substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and related services in order to promote healthy living and addiction counseling that saves lives and unites families. They offer both outpatient and in-home services. Services include: Drug and alcohol rehabilitation for teens and adults, live in rehabilitation for mothers, parenting classes, drug awareness education, HIV/AIDS awareness and HIV outreach programs, counseling, and family reunification
Red Cross Rio Hondo Chapter
6706 Friends Avenue
Whittier, CA 90601
www.redcross.org
(562) 945-3944
The Rio Hondo Chapter of the American Red Cross helps prevent, prepare for and respond to emergency situations. The local chapter offers a variety of specialized training in first-aid, disaster management, emergency response, pet first-aid, CPR, and lifesaving skills. Fire prevention, earthquake preparedness and programs for seniors are also available. Services include: Emergency shelters, assistance for individuals and families displaced by fire, flood or other disasters, immunizations, lifesaving skills, CPR training, first-aid, emergency preparedness planning, programs designed especially for elderly and home safety training.
Salvation Army
12000 E. Washington Blvd., Ste. 101
Whittier, CA 90606
(562) 696-9562
www.santafesprings.salvationarmy.org/santa_fe_springs_corps
Manuel.Martinez@usw.salvationarmy.org
Services Offered:
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Seasonal Services
- Casework Services
Worship Services - Children's / Teen
Worship Services - Church
- Christian Education
- Men's Ministries
- Music & Arts Programs
Worship Services - Sunday School
Women's Ministries
Worship Services - Young Adult
Worship Services - Youth Ministries
- Character Building Programs
- Residential Camping Activities
Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority
10400 Pioneer Blvd., Suite 9
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
www.sasfa.org
(562) 699-3231
St. Matthias Soup Hour
7056 Washington Ave
Whittier, CA 90602
Contact Person: Dottie Andersen
dottie.andersen@gmail.com
562-652-4467
http://www.stmatthiaswhittier.org/soup-hour-history
Types of Services:
- 1 hot meal per day
- 3pm 5 days a week
- Medical screening every other week
- Mailbox and messages, information and referral
- Basic hygiene needs, transportation
- ID
- Money for Rx/gas
- A place to be all-day
Persons served: Anyone
Number of People Served: 60-150 Meals a day, average 90-270 mailboxes.
Requirement for Persons To Be Served: None
Services Begin: Immediately
Length of Wait: None
Waiting List: None
Limit on Services:
- Not open on weekends
- Must pick up mail monthly
- Service hours 2-4 pm
Funding Resources: Foundation grant, individual and church donations, city grant
Material Resources: Individuals and churches- hygiene & clothing, St Matthias- space, Panera- leftover food, Whittier College- Leftovers 3x a week, food drives (boy scouts & post office).
Staffing: 1.5 persons
Volunteers: 5-7 per day for meals (prep, cook, serve, clean), 2-4 pm mail volunteer.
Capacity: Until all are fed- 3-4 PM
Fundraisers: TBD
Short Term needs: Regular supply of hygiene, food, donations: 30,000, transport, Rx volunteers.
Long Term Needs: Fundraising help, funds, grant writing
Gaps: Shelter-adults and families, affordable housing, welfare and SSI increase to pay rent.
Other Information: There is a high percentage of mental illness and people who will never be able to care for themselves.
Whittier Area First Day Coalition
12426 Whittier Blvd.
Whittier, California 90602
Administration: (562) 945-4304
Services: (562) 693-4097
https://www.whittierfirstday.org
Whittier First Day provides a short-term emergency transitional housing with on site supportive services to 45 individuals in the City of Whittier. Services include: on-site health clinic, health screenings, mental health services, on-site meals, case management, clothing, transportation, 12 step meetings, education, training and employment assistance. First Day provides professional and social service offices and meeting space.
Whittier Meals on Wheels
Whittier, CA 90608
www.whittiermealsonwheels.com
(562) 698-2750
Whittier Meals on Wheels is a volunteer organization that delivers meals to homebound, disabled, aged, chronically or temporarily ill qualified individuals so that they can remain self-sufficient in their own homes. Since 1973, Whittier Meals on Wheels has averaged 120 deliveries per day. Meals are delivered 5 days per week by volunteers who donate their time and vehicles.
The Whole Child
Whittier, CA 90603
(562) 692-0383
https://www.thewholechild.info/
ICGC has provided children, adolescents, and families in the community with affordable, culturally-sensitive, and professional mental services for 42 years. Services include: child abuse prevention, free parenting education in English and Spanish, anger management classes, and substance abuse help and counseling for teens.
Women's and Children's Crisis Center
Whittier, CA 90601
Contact Person: Dolores Salomone- Executive Director
dsalomone@dvshelter.org
562-945-3937
Regional Resources
211 Call Center
Having trouble finding help? Call 211. This call is free from any phone.
Gateway Cities Council of Governments
Helpline Youth Counseling
12240 E. Firestone Blvd., Suite 1000
Norwalk, CA 90650
(562) 864-3722
www.hycinc.org
Founded in 1971, HYC provides counseling services to prevent juvenile delinquency, gang prevention and intervention, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and teen drug and alcohol abuse. The organization also offers specialized individual family and on-campus training and workshops.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
PATH – People Assisting the Homeless
Southern California Alcohol and Drug Programs
(562) 923-4545
www.scadpinc.org
SCADP offers residential recovery programs for men and women, as well as outpatient programs for youth, adults, and families. All services are offered in both English and Spanish. Fees are based on a sliding fee scale. Addiction treatment is also available in sign language. Special programs for persons with AIDS or HIV, the homeless or victims of domestic violence are also available.
Southern California Rehabilitation Services
(562) 862-6531
www.scrs-ilc.org
SCRS, founded in 1979, provides independent living services to disabled persons so that they can live a productive, independent life. All services are offered free of charge. Services include: Housing assistance, personal care referral, cross disability peer counseling, independent living skills training, computer training, disability/sensitivity training, benefits counseling, emergency bus and rail transportation, job search and grocery shopping assistance.
National Resources
National Alliance to End Homelessness
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
www.cavaf.org
(800) 838-4357 (1-800-VET-HELP)
A nonprofit organization that seeks to end homelessness among veterans by shaping public policy, promoting collaboration, and building the capacity of service providers.
National Coalition for the Homeless
U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
Coordinates the federal response to homelessness by creating a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness nationwide.
Read the national plan to end homelessness at Opening Doors.