• Free Food: 

Getting food for your family can feel like a strain, even in the best of circumstances. Below is a list of resources to make sure you & your babies have enough healthy food to eat. 

1) SNAP / EBT: Use the website below to apply for money to buy food every month. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to process but  depending on your circumstances, you might qualify for emergency benefits. 
2.) Find a Food Bank: Below are links to websites that have lists of food banks in SF, Oakland & Alameda County. Pay attention to the schedules; most of these places are only open during specific days & times. Always show up before the earliest time listed because  most free offerings are first come, first served while supplies last. Lines fill up quickly. 
Other Places to Check For Free Food: 
  • Call 211 (This is a helpline for Alameda County. Representatives can help you find food)
  • Try public schools & public libraries in San Francisco & Oakland. Most of them offer food donations for individuals & families, as well as free lunch programs for students in the summer. You don’t have to necessarily have a child enrolled at the school either, they just want to help.
  • Discounted Food
    Sometimes you & your babies deserve a little treat, but those costs can definitely add up! Click the links below for lists of restaurants in the Bay Area where your kids can eat free with the purchase of an adult entree! The lists include Denny’s, IHOP & many others. Make sure to note the days, times & restrictions on the website. Then call the restaurant before you go, because info can change. 
  • Free Clothes, Shoes & More:
​​If you need free clothes, shoes, accessories & outerwear for you & your kids, there are places that can help. I’ve directly experienced help from the first option below (they are wonderful!); I highly recommend them. There are other options below that came up in my research, but I personally haven’t used them. Always call first to verify availability & conditions.
  • Free Fun & Entertainment:

    Being homeless (especially with children) is one of the most stressful circumstances a person can experience. It might feel silly to go out & have fun while you’re dealing with instability; you could be tempted to work or worry at every available moment. However, making sure to have fun experiences is one of the most helpful, healing things you can do for yourself & your kids (especially in the Bay Area!) Just by being here, you’ll be able to freely access parks, museums, festivals, concerts, culture & breathtaking views (for free!) that people living in other places (who aren’t even necessarily homeless or struggling financially) can’t afford to enjoy because of travel & hotel costs. You’re so lucky that you already live here!  Wealth doesn’t have to include having money- or even a home; wealth is knowing how to make the most of the resources available to you. Plus, making time to enjoy yourself gives you & your kids something to look forward to! 
Parks:
There are countless parks in the Bay Area that you can visit with your kids. These range from neighborhood playgrounds to sweeping, scenic green spaces for walking, hiking & picnics. There are too many parks to name here (you’ll have to do your own research), but I will list a few notable favorites below. Also, I’ve operated here with a car and without; everything below is accessible via public transportation, but there’s parking too if you drive!

1) Presidio Tunnel Tops: (according to their website: offers unforgettable Golden Gate Bridge views, the Presidio Visitor Center, the Outpost playground and Field Station curiosity lab, trails and public lawns, Presidio Pop Up food celebrating diverse cultures, and some of the best places to picnic in the Presidio. It’s built on and around the Presidio Parkway tunnels (hence Tunnel Tops!), making it easy and fun to walk from the center of the Presidio to the park’s beautiful waterfront at Crissy Field. Presidio Tunnel Tops is free to all and open every day. It’s one of the very best things to do in San Francisco with family and friends.) Click here for directions, more information, etc.

2) Golden Gate Park: (according to a travel website: Over a thousand acres, Golden Gate Park has something for everyone:  museums, gardens, concert space, playgrounds, a lake, picnic space, a carousel, and miles of running trails.) It’s the third most visited park in the US! I’ve personally been to this park many times & it's so huge I’ve never seen the whole thing. Don’t worry- there are maps all over so you won’t get lost. It's one of the best places to spend a day in the Bay. Click here to plan your visit. (Try to start with the Children’s Corner & Carousel, & then explore from there!)

3) Dolores Park:  (from their website: Encompassing nearly 16 acres, Mission Dolores Park is one of San Francisco’s most popular parks, the vibrant heart of its equally vibrant, culturally diverse neighborhood. Here you’ll find lush green lawns shaded by tall palm trees, a soccer field, six tennis courts, one basketball court, a multi-use court, a playground, and two off-leash dog play areas. Yes. Many festivals, performances, and other cultural events are held here, and on sunny afternoons people flock to the park to play, picnic, lounge, walk their dogs, and enjoy spectacular views of the city’s skyline and beyond.) I’ve been to this park many times as well, & it always feels like a city picnic party. The playground is exceptionally cool, too. Your kids will love it! Click here to map your trip!

4) Adventure Playground (in Berkeley):  (From their website: Visitors to Adventure Playground can enjoy playing on the many kid designed and built forts, boats, and towers, riding the zipline or creating with hammers, saws, paint, and recycled materials. Children under the age of 18 must have a supervising adult registered to attend and watch them during their time at the playground. Adventure Playground is free for individuals and families during regular hours.) Yes, you read all that correctly. This place is safely hazardous & kids LOVE it. Click here for directions, days & hours.
Libraries:
​Whether in San Francisco or Alameda County, there is always something to do at the library! At the very least, there’s books to read, games, arts & crafts, & computers to use (if you need). Libraries in the Bay Area also feature different daily free events, including story & play time for little ones, video games & tech stuff for older kids, & classes, community events, movie nights & book clubs for all ages. You don’t need a nearby address to qualify for a library card either- any ID will get you started. Once you have a library card (or several!) you’ll also have access to that library's online digital database, which will let you check out Ebooks, for you & your kids. Some also offer access to movies & TV shows, too. 

Libraries also have a program called Discover and Go, a nationally recognized program that offers free museum & event passes to library card holders. Click here to learn more.
Museums & Zoos:
And speaking of museums & zoos, the Bay Area has the best to offer! Not only that, but thanks to California’s participation in the Museums 4 All Program, you can visit museums & zoos free! You simply have to show your SNAP/ EBT card for entry (some of the SF Museum websites mention also providing proof of SF residency along with EBT but I’ve gone to a few with an Oakland address & no one cared). Click the links below for lists of San Francisco (& greater California) museums & zoos that participate in the program.

Discounted Fun & Entertainment:

If you’re ok with spending a little bit of money, SF & surrounding areas also offer discounted entertainment & events. It isn’t totally free, but it won’t hurt your pockets either. 

Movies: 
Many movie theaters offer admission for a discounted price at least one day per week (usually Tuesdays or Wednesdays. You can google more deals near you, but here are a few I can think of off the top of my head: 
  • Alameda Theater- $5 Tuesdays
  • Grand Lake Theater (Oakland) - $6 Tuesdays
  • The New Parkway (Oakland)- $Karma Cinema Wednesdays (Pay what you can)

Parties, Festivals, Movies in the Park, etc.:
For all other fun, free & cheap happenings in SF & the bay area beyond, I like to use the website called SF Fun Cheap. It's constantly updated with all the best deals, community events & fun happenings for everyone. 


 Tips For Mental & Physical Health:
Homelessness is hard enough on the body & mind, so you’ll have to take extra special care of yourself & your kids during this time. Here are a few things I learned (the hard way): 
  • Limit Processed Foods: My kids & I love chips, candy, juice, soda & fast food as much as everyone else, but our snack habits definitely got out of control when we were homeless. This was for three reasons: junk food is cheap, it's tasty, & it's convenient- especially when you’re unable to cook for your family. Not only that, but we had an EBT card that was accepted at every corner store. Learn from my mistakes! Junk food is a short-term solution for hunger but it will not nourish your & your kids in the long run. It isn’t good for you. Set limits. Try to spend your SNAP benefits at the grocery store rather than the corner store. Choose snacks of fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, granola, cheese & whole grains. Drink water instead of sugary drinks. These options are not as tasty but you will feel better. Health is wealth!
 
  • Go to regular dental checkups for cleaning & treatment: This is related to the suggestion above. Make sure to go to the dentist, especially while homeless. Any sort of instability can make it difficult to brush your teeth on a set schedule, which is essential for good dental health. You might also find yourself snacking at odd hours & sleeping with food in your teeth. Going to the dentist might be the last thing on your mind, but it's so important. Twice-yearly check ups & treatments are covered through your medi-cal insurance. My kids & I wound up with so many cavities when we were homeless, & it was a long road (that I’m still traveling) to get our mouths healthy again. Again, don’t be like me! Take your babies for their regular dental check-ups.  (I personally recommend Children’s Choice Dental in the San Francisco Mission District)
 
  • Be Prepared for Bay Area weather: If you’re like me & you aren’t originally from the Bay Area, the weather here can come as quite a shock, especially in San Francisco. SF is known for what is called “micro-climates,” which means it can be 62 degrees & cloudy on one block, & then 73 degrees & sunny on the next. The weather shifts constantly. There’s fog, wind & chill that rolls in from the ocean & Bay; but there’s also sunshine & heat waves too. Your best bet is to dress you & your kids in layers so they can keep cool in the warm patches & warm in the cool patches. If you’re on the move, hoodies & sweatshirts work better than coats. Never be caught without a sweatshirt, no matter how warm it is. Trust me. 
 
  • Maintain Strong Boundaries: This point is a little hard to explain but I’ll do my best. When I became homeless, it was hard to maintain relationships with most of my friends & family because they couldn’t really understand what I was going through. In that way, it was like going away to war or prison. My kids & I felt we were on our own. As a result, we all longed for people to see us, hear us, validate us. My kids shared a lot of our personal business with their teachers or any adults they felt safe with. Sometimes the things they shared felt painful or embarrassing for me, but I knew they needed someone to talk to. I also shared super personal things to people I’d only just met because they seemed kind & empathetic (but really they were just being polite!). This can be detrimental though because sometimes well meaning people back off because perhaps your experiences make you appear unstable; on the flip side, bad people only pretending to be nice will use your lack of boundaries to learn all your  trauma, force a shared bond with you, & then take advantage of you however possible (especially if you seem grateful just to have a friend). While you are homeless, try not to open up to people unless you’ve known them for a while & you trust them. Otherwise, remain cautious & keep your business to yourself. 
 
  • Build a Support Network: This is also related to the section above.  Perhaps you can’t vent to strangers & new friends, but you can talk to social workers, therapists & other empathetic people. You are not alone. There are likely therapists and/or social workers available through your SF Access Point or Human Services Case Management, or Medi-cal insurance. In the meantime, there are also crisis hotlines for emergencies & warm-lines that simply offer someone to talk to. Click here for a list of helplines & resources offered through the California Board of Public Health. 

  • Practice Gratitude:  During this period of time, gratitude might be the last thing on your mind. It's easy to become so focused on what you don’t have, that you miss what you do have.  Try keeping a journal, where every you list the things to thank God for. Be specific as possible- from the good things about your health, to the positive aspects about your children, & the things that other people might take for granted, like a hot meal, or a warm place to sleep, or the ability to live in an area with resources to help you. Once you get the list going, it will build momentum. This momentum of gratitude is like a giant magnet, that will only bring you more things to feel grateful for, so you can add those things to the list, too! (This is actual magic & it works!)
Remember:
No matter what’s going on, no matter what’s happened in the past- you’re doing a great job. I know it's hard. I know you feel defeated. I know you’re working & trying to do as you can & it seems like it's never enough. I know there’s shame, & regret, & despair & sadness. And also I know your kids are looking to you for strength & peace as you find a way through to the other side.  I don’t really have any advice except the truth, which is the only way over is through. You will not be in this place forever. 

In the meantime remember, you might not have a permanent residence, but remember that you are home. Live with this knowing- that you can’t possibly be homeless because you are home-  & allow the provisions that are your birthright reveal themselves to you.  You are a seed; all you need is the right soil & you will thrive. You have been uprooted but you will be replanted & watered where you belong. Trust your path, even as it winds through darkness. 

This is the part of the story where you grow roots.

And then when you least expect it, you’ll turn the page & bloom.  
​
You got this.