California Child Care Resource and Referral Network: The statewide membership organization of California’s child care resource and referrals. Provides information and resources for California families seeking child care, profiles the supply and demand of child care in each California county and offers opportunities for parents interested in advocating for affordable child care. 

Community Care Licensing: Community Care Licensing is the state agency responsible for licensing and monitoring family child care homes and child care centers to ensure that they provide safe and healthy environments for children.

Child Care Aware of America: Child Care Aware is a national membership organization of all child care resource and referrals in the country. Child Care Aware of America works to advocate for child care policies that positively impact the lives of children and families. This site assists parents in identifying high-quality child care and provides other information and supportive resources for families, such as tips for choosing child care, evaluating a provider, licensing, types of care and other resources. 

TrustLine: TrustLine is California’s registry of in-home child care providers who have passed a background screening. All caregivers listed with TrustLine have been cleared through a fingerprint check of records at the California Department of Justice. This means they have no disqualifying criminal convictions or substantiated child abuse reports in California. Licensed providers in the state of California have to go through an in-depth background check; families are able to TrustLine their nanny or other caregiver. To learn more, this article discusses Nanny Checks: Why TrustLine is the Gold Standard for California.

San Francisco Unified School District School Finder: This online tool can help you explore San Francisco’s public schools and find the best fit for your child’s needs. SFUSD offers education from preschool through 12th grade. With a variety of programs, including TK, language immersion, special education and college/career readiness, SFUSD provides families with diverse options.  

Visit: SFUSD Enrollment Office Locations | Phone: 415-241-6082 | Email: enrollinschool@sfusd.edu 

San Francisco Public Libraries: There are over 30 library branches across San Francisco offering internet access, programs and resources for adults and children. 

Main Library: 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 | Phone: 415-557-4400 

California Department of Education: Provides resources and information for child development contractors, families and community members about state-funded child development programs.

First 5 California: First 5 California distributes funds to local communities through the state’s 58 individual counties, all of which have created their own local First 5 county commissions. 

San Franscisco Department of Early Childhood (DEC): The Department of Early Childhood (DEC) is a City and County of San Francisco Department dedicated to young children’s safe and healthy development. 

As the City’s largest funder of early childhood, DEC is committed to creating a system that ensures every child can thrive and learn. They provide public investment, expertise, and leadership to put resources into the hands of those who care for our City’s youngest children

Head Start: A national program supporting school readiness by enhancing children’s social and cognitive development through educational, health and social services. 

San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families: Provides information on child care, health, education, summer programs, and social programs for families in SF, including volunteer and advocacy opportunities. 

Location: 1390 Market Street, Suite 900, SF, CA 94102 | Phone: 628-652-7100 

San Francisco Human Services Agency (HSA): The Human Services Agency provides qualifying San Franciscans with food assistance, financial assistance, child welfare services, health care assistance, housing assistance, employment and job training and other services. 

Location: View multiple office locations here | Phone: 415-557-5000 

San Francisco Department of Child Support Services: Works with parents to ensure children receive court-ordered financial and medical support, including services like establishing paternity and locating absent parents. 

Earned Income Tax Credit: A refundable tax credit for low- to moderate-income working individuals and families. Use the online calculator to see if you qualify. 

211 Bay Area: 211 in San Francisco County can help you find food, housing, health care, senior services, legal aid and much more.

San Francisco Family Resource Centers: San Francisco Family Resource Centers: Safe and welcoming spaces that provide support programs and resources to families in San Francisco.  

To find Family Resource Centers near you, visit: 

• San Francisco DEC Family Resource Centers  

• San Francisco Family Services Alliance 

Support for Families for Children with Disabilities: Support for Families of Children with Disabilities offers information, education and parent-to-parent support free of charge to families of children with special needs or special health care needs in San Francisco. 

Location: 832 Folsom Street, Suite 1001, SF, CA 94107 | Phone: 415-282-7494 

ParentPowered: Parent Powered is a free evidence-based family engagement curriculum delivered via text messages. Each week, you’ll receive short text messages with fun facts and easy tips on how to promote your child’s development by building on existing family routines. To sign up, text CHILDCARESF to 70138 on your phone or visit: https://childrenscouncil.parentpowered.com/

San Francisco Diaper Bank: The SF Diaper Bank distributes free diapers to eligible CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal families with children under 2 years old. Children’s Council serves as one of the Diaper Bank’s many pick-up locations across San Francisco. 

SF Service Guide: The SF Service Guide is an online directory of resources in San Francisco. The Guide’s focus is on homelessness and housing services, but also covers a variety of other services, from education and legal aid to senior services and food programs. 

Newcomer Family Resources: A helpful guide for newcomer families in San Francisco, connecting them to local organizations and resources. Available in English, Spanish and Cantonese! 

PDF: Newcomer Family Resources  

Arriba Juntos: Promotes economic self-sufficiency for San Franciscans and their families through occupational training and employment opportunities, including healthcare career training. 

Main Office Location: 1850 Mission St. SF, CA 94103 | Zip Codes Served: 94103, 94110, 94102, 94124 | Phone: 415-487-3240  

Affordable Colleges: This site offers resources for student-parents, including information on affordable colleges, scholarships, financial aid and cost-saving tips to make higher education more accessible. 

Email: contact@support.affordablecollegesonline.org  

Code Tenderloin: Offers job readiness programs that prepare individuals for long-term employment by teaching digital skills, goal setting, resume building and workplace etiquette.  

Phone (Main Office): 510-240-2735 | Phone (SOMA Location): 415-787-3069 | Zip Codes Served: 94102, 94103 | Email: hello@codetenderloin.org 

Free City College:  Free City is a partnership between City College and San Francisco to offer free tuition or grants for financial aid recipients at City College of San Francisco. 

Main Campus: 50 Kahlo Way, San Francisco, CA 94112 | Visit: Campus Center Locations 

VS :Offers job training, employer engagement and systems-level change to foster economic mobility and quality jobs.

Phone: 415-391-3600 | Email: info@jvs.org   

Mission Hiring Hall: Provides jobseekers in San Franscico with employment counseling, training and support service referrals to succeed in their employment search. 

Mission Office Phone (94103): 415-626-1919  

SOMA Office Phone (94103): 415-865-2105 

San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development: Online resource that supports job seekers and employers with customized recruitment services and job matching. 

Phone: 628-652-8400 | Email: workforcelinksf@sfgov.org 

FACES SF Workforce Program: Offers career advising, job training, resume workshops, and placement assistance. 

Job Center: 1099 Sunnydale Ave, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, 94134 | Phone: 415-239-8705 

City Drive Program:A program that offers a pathway to a career in transportation and offers free training, services and job referrals. 

Phone: 415-239-8705 | Email: citydriveteam@facessf.org 

Mission Economic Development Agency: Offers training programs in retail, financial and technology sectors, providing assessments, job coaching and job readiness training. 

Location: 2301 Mission Street, SF, 94110 | Phone: 415-282-3334 

APRISF: Connect San Francisco residents to construction trade opportunities at all experience levels. APRISF partners with the Office of Workforce and Economic Development to recruit for CityBuild Academy, an 18-week pre-apprenticeship program at City College of San Francisco. 

Location: 1301 Evans Street, SF, 94124 | Phone: 415-821-4777 

CalFresh: State food stamp program that provides assistance for low- or no-income individuals and households to purchase nutritious food. CalFresh is known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Visit: Multiple Office Locations  

Women, Infants, & Children Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC): WIC provides food assistance, health care referrals, and nutrition education to low-income families with young children or expecting a new child. 

For more information, visit: WIC Clinic Hours & Locations 

Summer EBT for School Children: SUN Bucks or Summer EBT (S-EBT) provides CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal families with $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries during the summer.

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank: SF Marin Food Bank offers a robust network of food pantries, home delivered groceries and support with CalFresh enrollment.  

Find food assistance near you: Food Locator  

Groceries + Meals for Older Adults, Veterans, People with Disabilities: The Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) and community-based organizations offer free food programs to older adults, veterans and people with disabilities. Visit the website to view a list of food resources. 

Phone: 415-355-6700 or 800-814-0009 | More Information 

San Francisco Food Resource Viewer: This tool can be used to locate food resources by location, eligibility, food type, and delivery days/times/methods across San Francisco. 

Mission Food Hub: Serves the community by procuring and distributing culturally appropriate and nutritious food to support the well-being of families and individuals.  

Location: 701 Alabama Street, SF 94110 | Phone: 415-206-0577 | Note: May register in person and must live in 94110 

The Women’s Building Food Bank: Offers fresh and nutritious foods in a farmers market style layout where community members select food that best meets their needs. 

Location: 3543 18th Street, SF 94110 | Note: On-site registration required every 6 months 

St. Anthony’s (Dining Room & Groceries): Daily offerings of hot meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and weekly farmers market style distribution of groceries to Tenderloin residents. Hot meals are only served during mealtimes.  

Location: 121 Golden Gate Ave, 1st floor, SF 94102 | General Inquiries: 415-241-2600 

GLIDE’s (Daily Meal Program) GLIDE serves 2,000 free meals daily to those in need, with no eligibility requirements. Drop-ins are welcome, and late arrivals receive a lunch bag.  

Location: 330 Ellis Street, SF 94102|Phone: 415-674-6000  

Martin de Porres: A free restaurant that serves mainly vegetarian and often vegan meals Mondays through Saturdays.  

Location: 225 Potrero Ave, SF 94103 | Phone: 415-552-0240 

Family Connections Centers (Food Pantries): Monthly food pantries that serve over 200 households each month, providing fresh produce, pantry items, eggs and necessities. Registration is required.  

Excelsior Food Pantry (94134) | Phone: 415-333-3845  

Portola Food Pantry (94112) | Phone: 415-715-6746  

Click here to view more free food locations in San Francisco 

Medi-Cal & Covered California: Covered California aims to expand health insurance coverage, improve healthcare quality, lower costs and ensure equitable access for all Californians. Children under 19, regardless of immigration status, qualify for full-scope benefits if they meet income requirements.

San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium: SFCCC sponsors a network of health clinics throughout San Francisco that offers health, mental health, pediatric, prenatal and dental services.  Services are often free or low-cost. 

Visit: SFCCC Member Clinics 

Birth Injury Guide: Educates families about birth injuries and what assistance programs are available.

Bright Life Kids: Personalized support for California families. Kids ages 0–12 get free, expert coaching for sleep issues, worry, social skills and more.  

Healthy Children: Sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, this site offers a comprehensive guide to children’s development, health and mental health. 

KidsHealth: Provides information for parents on child health, nutrition, safety and development. 

San Francisco Community Clinics

Community clinics are essential for health screenings required for childcare or school enrollment. These clinics offer a range of health services, including immunizations, routine check-ups, and screenings. We’ve compiled a list of community clinics below to help families access these important services:

Tom Waddell Urban Health Center (94102) | Phone: 628-754-7800 | Spanish and Cantonese: 415-682-1722 

Family Health Center (94110) | Phone: 628-206-5252 

Mission Neighborhood Health Centers (94110, 94112) | Visit: MNHC Locations & Hours 

Lyon Martin Community Health Center (94103) | Phone: 415-565-7667  

Potrero Hill Health Center (94107) | Phone: 628-217-7900 

Newcomers Health Program (94110) | Phone: 628-206-8608 

Native American Health Center (94110) | Phone: 415-417-3500 

Clinic by the Bay (94112) | Phone: 415-405-0207 

Castro Mission Health Center (94114) | Phone: 628-217-5700 

Maxine Hall Health Center (94115) | Phone: 628-217-5400   

Sister Mary Phillips Health Center (94117) | Main Line: 415-857-9058 | New Patient:415-750-7974   

Ocean Park Health Center (94122) | Phone: 628-754-8200   

Southeast Family Health Center (94124) | Phone: 628-217-5500   

Northeast Medical Services (94133,94134) | Phone: 415-391-9686   

Chinatown Public Health Center (94133) | Phone: 628-217-6500   

Silver Avenue Family Health Center (94134) | Phone: 628-754-8000   

Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA): MEDA provides housing assistant programs for community members in addition to financial planning, tax preparation, business development, job training and more.   

Location: 2301 Mission St., Suite 301. SF 94110|Phone: 415-282-3334   

Episcopal Community Services: Provides essential services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. 

Location: 165 8^th St. San Francisco, 94103|Phone: 415-487-3300   

Catholic Charities: Offers a robust set of services such as housing, immigration services, youth programs, and aging support services. 

Main Office: 990 Eddy St. 94109| Phone: 415-972-1200 

Mission Access Point: 2871 Mission St. 94110 | Phone: 415-690-5381 

Compass Family Services: Provides essential services to families experiencing homelessness. Services include housing support, rental assistance, child care assistance, family workshops, job training and more. 

Location: 37 Grove St. San Francisco 94102|Phone:415-644-0504|Email: info@compass-sf.org 

Homeless Prenatal Program: Provides support services including housing assistance, transitional housing, workforce development programs, prenatal/parenting support and wellness programs and more. 

Location: 2500 18th San Francisco, 94110|Main Line: 415-546-6756|Client Services: 415-754-0581 

Family Coordinated Entry Access Points: Locations where service providers connect families or individuals to housing services and resources. Families with children under the age of 18 can contact the access points below: 

Central City Access Point (94102) | Phone: 415-644-0504 

Mission Access Point (94110) | Phone: 415-690-5381 

Bayview Access Point (94124) | Phone: 415-430-6320 

DAHLIA Housing: Enter the lottery to rent a below market rate apartment on DAHLIA SF Housing Portal. Apply to buy a home with City help. For listing and application questions, please contact the agent displayed on the listing.  

For general program inquiries, contact MOHCD at 415-701-5500. 

GLIDE- Walk In Center: Rental assistance, emergency options for eviction, back rent and deposits are available. Persons applying for rental assistance must attend a housing readiness workshop.  

Location: 330 Ellis St. San Francisco 94102| For shelter, call 628-652-8000 or 311. 

San Francisco Rental Assistance (ERAP): Helps at-risk tenants stay in their homes by providing rental assistance. It is administered by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing as part of the city’s efforts to prevent displacement and homelessness.  

If you have questions about your SF ERAP application, you may contact the SF ERAP Helpline at 415-653-5744 or help@sferap.org 

Child Care Law Center: Provides information on child care legal issues. Their website contains a vast number of informative publications for families and child care providers. 

Phone: 415-558-8005  

Law Help California: Law Help California, from the Public Interest Clearinghouse, is a statewide, searchable database of resource and referral information on legal topics, such as housing, public benefits, health, work, immigration, civil rights, family and kids, protection from abuse and Native American issues. 

Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center: Legal services for low-income workers throughout the Bay Area. Numerous fact sheets on the rights of California workers. 

Open Door Legal: A nonprofit legal aid clinic dedicated to serving low-income San Franciscans. Open Door’s legal team supports with housing, family, employment, elder, immigration, consumer and civil cases.  

Catholic Charities: Provides legal counsel on complex immigration issues, reunite families, and assist immigrant victims of violence. Their services include “Know Your Rights” workshops, ESL classes and vocational training to support and educate the community.  

Location: 990 Eddy St. San Francisco,94109 | Phone: 415-972-1200 

Immigrant Legal Resource Center: Supports immigrants, community organizations, and legal professionals through education and advocacy to promote a diverse and inclusive society. 

Immigration Advocates Network: A National Immigration Legal Services Directory that helps you find nonprofit organizations offering free or low-cost immigration legal services by state, county, or detention facility. 

Parent Voices: Children’s Council sponsors the local chapter of Parent Voices, a parent-led grassroots organization working to make quality child care affordable and accessible to all families. Parent Voices members lead child care awareness campaigns through media appearances and interviews, testimony at budget hearings, meeting with legislators, and by organizing local and state rallies. For more information, contact Maria Luz Torre at 415.343.3383 or parentvoices@childrenscouncil.org. 

Golden Gate Mothers Group: Founded in 1996, this volunteer organization is run for moms, by moms.  GGMG hosts play groups for families, parenting workshops, assistance for new moms and social events for parents. 

Our Family Coalition: LGBT family and parenting support for the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Parents for Public Schools: Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco (PPS-SF) promotes the fundamental value of public education and supports the success of every public school by sharing knowledge, bridging communities and informing policy. They offer kindergarten enrollment workshops in multiple languages to help families navigate the complicated SFUSD enrollment process. 

San Francisco Parents of Multiples: This volunteer-based non-profit organization was formed to offer support to parents and expectant parents of multiples. SFPOM’s goal is to provide its members and their families with friendship, support and information on parenting multiples. 

Fatherhood Groups: Homeless Prenatal Program and Family Connections Centers host supportive groups for fathers and expecting fathers. Visit their websites for more details. 

To find a good afterschool and summer program match for your family, pay attention to the daily schedule, location, and description of typical activities. We recommend starting your search well in advance. Many summer programs fill up months in advance, after school programs begin taking applications as early as March of the previous school year.  

We have compiled a list of afterschool and summer resources for your reference. Please check all websites for the most up to date information regarding program availability and eligibility.  

San Francisco Unified School District Before & After School Programs: This webpage lists before/after school and summer programs at different SFUSD school sites. Please reach out to each school for the most up-to-date information. 

Our415: Our415 contains a list of summer programs under “childcare”. It allows families to select additional subcategories and eligibilities to make the search tailored to their needs. 

Boys & Girls Club: Provides after school and summer programs for youth grades TK-12. Find the nearest club near you. 

YMCA: Provides after school and summer programs for children grades PreK-12. Find the nearest club near you. 

Booker T. Washington Community Service Center: Booker T. Washington offers various summer programs for children grades TK–8^th. 

Collective Impact: Magic Zone offers out-of-school programming for students K-12^th grade, during the school year and summer, serving more than 100 youth from two sites in the Western Addition.   

Good Samaritan Family Resource Center: Offers after-school programs at three different school sites and five summer camps for ages K-9^th grade.  

FacesSF: Offers after school and summer programs for children grades TK-6.  

Project Commotion: Camp Commotion, Project Commotion’s annual summer camp, serves children ages 2-6. Campers explore movement, arts & literacy, social skills, self-discovery, and play. 

Family Connections Center: FCC offers both preschool, school-age, and summer camps for children ages 3-10 years old. 

Community Youth Center (CYC): CYC offers a variety of after school and summer programs across the city for youth grades K-12.  

SF Recreation & Parks Programs: SF Rec & Parks offers a variety of after school, winter, spring, and summer camps for students grades TK-12. Visit their website for more program details. 

Aim High: Summer Programs for current 5^th – 8^th middle school students who have limited access to summer enrichment.