The Welcome Ministry’s

The Welcome Ministry’s

San Francisco Homeless and Hungry

Resources and Referral Information

Information for Neighbors and Reporting Problems with the Homeless

For the most current information about services in San Francisco, visit the free print shop for updated services and charts. For more information about how to get people into programs and our experience with the programs continue to the information below.

AIDS/HIV

Tenderloin Aids Resource Center (TARC): http://www.tarcsf.org/ Schedule: (see their schedule) DAILY (except holidays or where noted), HIV testing/prevention counseling 9:00-11:00& 1:00-3:30 (including Hepatitis C screening soon!), case management drop-in 9:00-Noon, case management appointments 1:00-4:00, nursing clinic 9:00-Noon & 1:00-4:00, peer & treatment advocacy 9:00-Noon & 1:00-4:00, nutritional supplements 9:00-Noon & 1:00-4:00.

Note from Megan: This is one of the best resources for the homeless and hungry. TARC is very successful and has some of the best resources in town.

African American Resources

KQED list of African-American Resources
http://www.kqed.org/heritagemonths/blackhistory/resources.html

African-American Center at the San Francisco Public Library
http://206.14.7.53/afram/afram2.htm

African-American Newspapers and Magazines
http://www.aasm.com/newspaper.html

San Francisco African-American Museum
http://www.sfstation.com/museums/african.htm

Black Coalition on AIDS
http://www.bcoa.org/

African-American Churches across the United States
http://www.aawc.com/aac.html

African-American Shakespeare Company
http://www.african-americanshakes.org/index.htm

Art and Music Resources

Hospitality House:

Church Resources

Old First Presbyterian: http://www.oldfirst.org

First Unitarian Universalist Church: http://www.uusf.org/

Faithful Fools: http://www.faithfulfools.org/

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church: http://www.stlukesepiscopal.net/

Clothing Services

SF Clothing Bank: http://www.clothingbank.org/

St. Anthony’s Clothing Services: Men 7:30am, Women 1pm????

Note from Megan: I have used this service. There is a long line, doors open an hour before and tickets are handed out a half hour before. Only those who win the lottery are able to get clothing. You can pick out a certain number of items including shoes and coats, but you have to wait a set amount of time before you can get them again. You do not need ID your first time there, but you do if you come again. The clothes are good quality. The staff is ok, some are better than others. The wait is long and you are not guaranteed to get anything if you go. But the wait is worth it if your number is drawn. Expect to be there at least 3 hours to get clothes.

Computer Services

The computer center at the Welcome Ministry is open anytime that the Welcome Ministry is open. During community dinners, Wednesday evening outreach and the Welcome Center.

Disability Information

Drop Ins

Faithful Fools: http://www.faithfulfools.org/

For youth: http://www.larkinstreetyouth.org/

Note from Megan: I have been to the drop in center in the LSYS Haight drop-in center. They are not open for all of the hours that they have published, and they will not open unless there are two staff people there. But, if you can make it there in the evening they have supper and a movie. You can get toiletries, socks, cold sore meds, tampons, pads, and other much needed items. You need to be 24 or under to go. It is worth the work that it takes to go there. There will be a lot of regulars there and it will be very crowded. It is a bit uncomfortable to go the first time, but the staff is very friendly.

Drop-In/Same Day Clinic - Same day appointments and drop in visits. Must come in person to make an appointment and be evaluated by a triage nurse. Operates from 8:00 a.m. -8:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday; 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

Drop-In Nurse Clinic - Operates from 8:00 a.m. -8:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday; 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

Drug/Alcohol Information

Information for Neighbors and Reporting drug problems in their neighborhood.

Individuals interested in getting treatment for drug and alcohol abuse should contact the San Francisco Drug Intake Hotline: 1-800-750-2727. They will be directed to appropriate services through this program.

Recovery Programs

San Francisco Rehab Centers

City TEAM Recovery Program. 164 6TH (at Howard). 861-8688 (Tu-F 9am-4pm). Long-term residential drug recovery program. Show up Tu-Fri. 10am-4pm to fill out

application. Must be clean & sober for interview. Stay up to 2½ years. Case management available.

FAD (Freedom from Alcohol & Drugs Program). 1353 48TH AVE. (btw Judah & Irving). Call 665–8077 or 665–9323 M-F 9am-5pm to make an appointment for an interview. You must be sober for 72 hours before coming. Length of stay varies depending on situation. 3 meals daily & meetings.

Transporation to Recovery Programs 431-7400, (anyday 24 hrs), Mobile Assistance Patrol (MAP). MAP provides a van for an intoxicated person who is nonviolent & not needing medical attention, to go voluntarily to a detox center. If the person does not want to go to a detox center, MAP will leave the person there & go on to the next call. If MAP determines that the person needs medical attention, MAP calls a paramedic van & waits until it arrives. If the person is violent, MAP calls the police & waits until they arrive. MAP staff are not trained medical personnel.

Detox Information

Haight Asbury Free Clinics: 529 Clayton Street, Phone (415) 565-1908, Fax (415) 255-6706, Monday - Thursday: 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM Friday: Noon to 6:30 PM. Services: Bay Area Service Network Treatment Centers, Bill Pone Memorial Unit for Asian Pacific Americans , Drug Detoxification, Rehabilitation & Aftercare Services, Glide – African American Extended Family Center, Haight Ashbury Alcohol Treatment Services (HAATS) , Haight Ashbury Youth Outreach Team , HIV Prevention Outreach Project, HIV Prevention Research Group, Oshun Center – 24 hour drop-in center for Women and their Families, Pharmacological Research Center,

Narcotics Anonymous: http://www.norcalna.org/ NA Helpline (415) 621-8600. Get an updated listing of NA meetings in San Francisco.

AA Groups: http://www.aasf.org/index.asp Intercounty Fellowship, 1821 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94109, 415-674-1821
Bookstore Hours: Monday 10-7, Tuesday - Friday 10-6, Fax: 415-674-1801, Get an updated listing of AA meetings in San Francisco.

Methadone

BAART CDP:

Market Clinic, 1111 Market, 415-863-3883 open 6 am – 2 pm

Geary Clinic 1040 Geary (off Polk), 415-928-7800 open 7 am – 3 pm

Note from Megan: I have accompanied several people to the clinic on Geary between Polk and Van Ness. Expect to be there between 4 and 6 hours. The waiting room is volitale. The staff are sometimes rude. The lines are confusing, and the staff will get mad if you are in the wrong line. It costs $15 for each methadone treatment and $10 for a picture. If you are sending people to BARRT CDP, you should go with them because there are drug dealers near the doors and the waiting room and long wait is enough to scare anyone away. The clinic encourages maintanence rather than detox. Maintanence means that you will have to take methadone indefinitely. Learn more about the side affects of methadone before sending people here. There are two types of detox (12 day and 60 day). In my experience people who do the 12 day are more likely to complete detox. But, the 60 day program makes people less sick.

General Hospital: The methadone is free, but there is a waiting list and it is very difficult to get on the program. People need to have a MediCal card in order to access services at the hospital. Bringing proof of low income or homeless status is helpful (ie bring your GA info).

Harm Reduction

Harm Reduction Therapy Center: 423 Gough, 863-4282.

San Francisco Needle Exchange: MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY 5-7pm @ 584 Cole street @ Haight (this is the back door of the drop in center). Medical services including wound care are offered at all of these sites. THURSDAY: "Ladies Night" 6-8pm A collaboration of the SFNE, Mission Neighborhood Resource Center and the Women's Community Clinic @ MNRC 165 Capp Street (between 16th &17th Streets) Services include syringe exchange, outreach supplies, massage, education, support, creative groups and dinner.

San Francisco Syringe Exchange Sites

Day	Time	Location	Map
Sunday NEW!	2:00-4:00	TARC 187 Golen Gate Ave	map
Monday	1:00-3:00 pm 5:00-7:00 pm 7:00-9:00 pm	1676 Newcomb Ave 409 Clayton Street 50 Ivy Street	map map map
Tuesday	10:00-Noon 6:00-8:00 pm	117A 6th Street Duboce Street (Church/Market)	map map
Wednesday	5:00-7:00 pm 6:00-8:00 pm 6:00-8:00 pm	409 Clayton Street TARC 187 Golen Gate Ave 1850 Mission	map map map
Thursday	1:00-3:00 pm 7:00-9:00 pm	1676 Newcomb Ave Hemlock Alley (Polk & Van Ness)	map map
Friday	12:00-2:00 pm 5:00-7:00 pm 6:00-8:00 pm	117 A 6th Street 409 Clayton Street 234 Eddy Street	map map map
Saturday	3:00-5:00 pm	117A 6th Street	map

Educational Resources

San Francisco City College:

Note from Megan: I have helped several of our homeless and hungry friends start college. I believe this is one of the best ways to get our homeless friends living indoors. You will be notified of acceptance immediately. Our homeless friends need to be able to go to City College several times in order to make sure they get registered for classes. Anyone getting GA or SSI will have their tuition waved and will be eligible for federal scholarships to pay for their housing if they do not have a drug felony on their record. Contact me if you would like to help someone go to City College, because we have a volunteer who is working to help our homeless friends get into college.

Steps to Enrolling in City College

Apply: Apply online
Make an appointment for a placement test: You cannot fail the test; you need a score to determine which classes you should take in English and math.
Fill out your Financial Aid Forms: Federal Financial Aid Forms online, fill out the tuition waiver form, take forms to the financial aid office in person with proof of GA or SSI
Fill out an EPOSS form:
Meet with a counselor at City College
Attend Orientation or complete orientation online:
Register for Classes

Feeding Programs

See current information in English & Spanish

Feeding programs are ranked. Feeding programs that are listed first are the most recommended.

Food Not Bombs: UN Plaza near the fountain, Dinner Monday – Friday 6-7pm (this is there listed time, in my experience they do not always show up on time, they are usually a half hour to an hour late). Note from Megan: The food and service at Food Not Bombs is amazing. If you have the time to wait for them to arrive it is worth it. The dinner is always vegan and consists of many fresh veggies, fruits and bread.

Martin DePores: 225 Portero (near 16^th) Breakfast Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 6:30-7:30, Lunch Monday – Saturday 12-2pm, and Brunch on Sunday 9-10:30 Note from Megan: I have eaten at Martin DePores several times. Martin DePores has the best food in town and the nicest serving staff. The only drawback is the location. It’s hard for most homeless people to get there. It’s a long walk from Civic Center, but it is worth it.

St. Anthony’s Foundation: http://www.stanthonysf.org/ 45 Jones (at Golden Gate) St. Anthony’s feeds every day 11:30-1:30.

Note from Megan: I have eaten at St. Anthony’s many times. The food is generally very good. You can get non dairy and non meat food if you ask for it, but sometimes you may just get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You can eat as many times as you want as long as you get back in the line and get another ticket. The staff that works outside and manages the line is usually very rude to guests. The dining room is sometimes loud and the quality of the service depends on who is volunteering that day. Let women know that there are special tables that are reserved for women and children in the back of the dinning hall. Seniors are able to go to the front of the line and eat first.

Glide Memorial: http://www.glide.org 330 Ellis (at Taylor) Open everyday for breakfast 8-9am and lunch 12-1:30 and for dinner Monday –Friday 4-5:30

Note from Megan: I have eaten at Glide several times and I have never had a positive experience eating there. I am glad that they are able to feed as many people as they do. Their large scale focus makes it possible for the Welcome Ministry to feed fewer people. The first time I ate at Glide one of the staff members offered me money for sex. Glide does not offer any vegan, vegetarian or lactose free meals. And often times the food served is moldy, too hard to eat or is going bad. Many of the homeless have similar feelings about Glide. I recommend that you eat their and try it out for yourself before referring people to eat at Glide. Glide is one of very few locations that serve breakfast. PLEASE LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE QUALITY OF MEALS BEFORE SENDING PEOPLE HERE.

SF Rescue Mission: http://www.sf911.com/ 140 Turk (between Taylor and Jones) Monday – Friday Dinner/Bible Study Doors close at 4 pm.

Note from Megan: I ate at the SF Rescue Mission while I was on a 4 day homeless retreat. You have to make sure you get there by 4 or they won’t let you in. You sit in pews and are only given food after you have a worship service. The food is good, but the theology is bad! The service tells people that they are bad people who are going to hell. Their atonement theology is about crucified Christ whose pain and suffering is directly related to the actions of the homeless. I would never recommend sending anyone to the SF Rescue Mission unless they were desperately hungry and they had ear plugs. DO NOT SEND PEOPLE HERE.

Food Pantries

See current information in English & Spanish

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (GLBTQ) Resources

Resources for youth: http://www.larkinstreetyouth.org/

General Assistance

General Assistance (GA) recipients: If you are in a shelter, your GA check may be cut at cut at your next GA appointment. Additionally you may not be able to signup for GA unless you signup to stay in a shelter EVEN IF YOU ALREADY LIVE INDOORS

Housing

Directory of Homeless and Housing Advocacy Coalitions in CA : http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

City & County of SF Local Homeless Coordinating Board: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/lhcb/index.htm

SF Dept Pub Health - Homeless Services: http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/Services/Homeless.htm

CCSF Dept of Human Services - Homeless Program: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/dhs/homeless.htm

Mayor's Office of Housing: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/moh/index.htm

Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation: http://www.tndc.org/

How to get housing:

Get a mailing address and check it once a week. Housing providers only mail you. They don’t phone. If you are using General Delivery (101 Hyde Street SF, 94142, pick up mail between 10 and 2 Monday to Friday. General delivery sends back your mail if you do not pick it up every week. You lose your housing if you do not pick up your mail.
Get a California ID and Social Security Card. You have to provide ID and income verification when you apply and get approved for housing and pick up your mail.
Keep your name on the list. Check in with the building/agency regularly. Tell them when you change our address or when you have other changes in your situation.
Sign up for everything you can and don’t give up. Take one step at a time. Build a good rental history and move into better housing.

Community Housing Partnership: Sign up on Tuesday mornings at 6:30 am at the Senator Hotel (519 Ellis St.) Applicants are placed on the list for the Senator, the San Christina at 1000 Market and the Iroquois Residence 835 O’Farrell. Tenants pay approximately 30% of income for rent. Note from Megan: Only the fist six people are put on the waiting list.

Rose Hotel: 125 6^th St. Sign up every other Thursday at 2 pm. Tenats pay approximately 30% of their income in rent. It is possible to get a unit in several places by signing up at the Rose. Note from Megan: The waiting list is approximately 3 years long.

San Francisco Housing Authority: For low income housing call 554-1386 on Monday or Wednesday 9-11am and 2-4 pm. Note from Megan: The section 8 waiting list is currently closed.

Tenderloin Housing Clinic (Master Lease and DAH programs): Persons employed or receiving PAES, SSIP, SSI or similar income may be eligible for a hotel room between $310 and $460/month. Or 50% of income. Ask your PAES trainer, employment specialist, SSIP eligibility worker, shelter case manager or other social worker if you can be referred. Or stop by THC at 126 Hyde St to ask about the other places you can sign up.

Call Monthly for low income housing applications/open enrollment for families and adults:

Bridge Property Management Company: 415-267-7673

TODCO: 415-776-2151

Caritas Management Corp: 415-647-7191

Chinatown Community Development Center: 415-984-1750

Canon Kip: 415-487-3723

Mercy Services Corp: 415-355-7100

Identification Services

Request Public Records (Department of Public Health)

Fastest way to get ID: Individuals who have been incarcerated in San Francisco can go to the 4^th floor of 850 Bryant (the records dept. – window 11) and request their police ID. This print out with their mug shot will be accepted as ID at the social security office and all other places where ID is needed. You can make a copy of the paper in case it is lost.

Getting Your CA ID:

You will need your birth certificate. To order your birth certificate (for about $25) go to: http://www.vitalchek.com/ and complete the steps to order your birth certificate online. If you need your signature notarized or faxed, make an appointment with Megan to do both (free if you are low income, a senior, a student or homeless - $10/signature for individuals who work at non-profit agencies - $20/signiture for all others). To order your birth certificate for free (if you have plenty of time) you can sign up for GA and get a voucher for your birth certificate, then go to city hall and order it.
You will need your social security card. You can order a copy of your social security card for free by going to any social security office and filling out the form. The SS card will come in 2-3 weeks. Note: Due to new rules, you will only be able to get 3 copies of your SS card a year and 5 times in your life. Because of this it is very important for homeless or individuals who are prone to losing their card to give it to someone to keep safe for them. You may use the Welcome Ministry as your address and store your card at the Welcome Ministry in our locked file cabinet.
Take your birth certificate and social security card to the DMV office and fill out the form to get your ID card (about $12).

Getting Your ID With Welcome Ministry:

If you would like the Welcome Ministry to help you get your CA ID, make an appointment with Megan (megan@welcomeministry.org). She will help you fill out all of the forms and go with you, if necessary, to the offices that you need to visit. Also, as funds are available, the Welcome Ministry may be able to pay for your ID for you. You may use our address to get your required documents and to have your CA ID mailed to you. We can keep important documents in our locked file cabinet to prevent them from getting lost and give you a copy of some documents that are not against the law to copy. That way if you lose them, you will only lose a copy.

Job/Work Information

Search for jobs in the area on Craigslist: www.craigslist.com

Latino/a Services

The Mission Directory
http://thecity.sfsu.edu/%7Eccipp/missiondirectory.htm

Search engines and directories in Spanish
http://clnet.ucr.edu/library/bplg/search.htm

Recursos de la Comunidad (Community Resources)
http://www.kqed.org/heritagemonths/latino/spanish/spresources.html

Newspapers from Latin America
http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/news/

Legal Information

Legal Services Clinic
The Lawyers’ Committee has provided pro bono legal services to low-income clients for twenty-seven years through its Legal Services Clinic. The Clinic is hosted each week by one of 21 San Francisco law firms. Potential clients are pre-screened by the staff. Volunteer attorneys provide representation in the areas of eviction defense, uninsured motorists, school expulsion, tort defense, collections, and public benefits. Attorneys and other advocates who have taken cases through the Clinic can go here for more information and helpful links.

Mailing Address

You are welcome to use the Welcome Ministry’s address as your mailing address so that you can gain access to city resources. You can pick up your mail during regular Welcome Ministry hours. However, it is important to remember that only Megan is able to give you your mail. Please respect members of Old First Presbyterian who do not have access to your mail.

You may use the address as follows:

Your Name

1751 Sacramento St

San Francisco CA 94109

Medical/Health Information

See current information in English & Spanish

The Health Center specializes in multidisciplinary services to respond to a wide range of medical, psychological, and social needs presented by homeless clients. The internal structure of Tom Waddell Health Center is divided into two structures: Clinical disciplines (medical, nursing, social work, mental health, outreach) provide the forum for administrative and clinical supervision; clinical teams provide the forum for the organization of patient care through multi-disciplinary services, with each team being organized around a primary care or specialty focus, (HIV, mental health, substance abuse, Women Services, shelters, Substance Abuse Residential Centers). The Tom Waddell Health Center is part of the Community Health Network.

Drop-In Nurse Clinic - Operates from 8:00 a.m. -8:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday; 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

Primary Care Clinics - All primary care clinics are interdisciplinary and include: medical, social and psychological services; education and outreach.

Community Site Clinics - In addition to services at Tom Waddell Health Center, Health Care for the Homeless provides medical, podiatry, mental health and social services around the City as part of its Outreach Program.

Hospitals
Laguna Honda Hospital
San Francisco General Hospital

Mental Health Resources

See current information in English & Spanish

Native American Resources

Native American Health Center
http://www.sfccc.org/clinics/nahc.htm

Prison/Jail Information

How to find an inmate in California

To locate an inmate within the California Department of Corrections, please call (916) 445-6713, which is available 24 hours a day. You must have either the inmate's CDC number, or the inmate's full name and date of birth to receive information. The Inmate Locator/ID Warrants will provide an inmate's location, mailing addresses and relevant phone numbers. The Inmate Locator/ID Warrants will not provide any future release date information. Please note that for new or transferring inmates it can take up to seven business days to update location information.

How to visit an inmate

Important things to remember:

Never wear solid colored clothing (especially orange or white)
Always bring a change of clothes with you, in case you have to change before going in
Expect to wait in line. Always go at least one hour before your would like to see the inmate
If you are clergy or ordained by your church, you may be able to call the facility and set up special visiting hours with the inmate
Most jail/prisons will have special visiting hours on holidays
Women: do not wear bra's with underwires.
Bring a valid ID
Call the jail/prison and see if you need to be approved or on a list to visit an inmate (check at least a week before you want to go)

How to write an inmate

Important things to remember:

Never use tape of any kind on anything sent to an inmate
Never send anything other than paper directly to an inmate
Books can be mailed to inmates directly from publishers only
Only books or magazines can be sent directly from publishers (you can not send anything else - even if it is directly from the store).
Inmates are allowed to buy things they need in prison
If you are sending money to an inmate, NEVER SEND CASH. Send them money in a cashiers check or money order in the inmate's name. The jail/prison will make an account for them.

Project Homeless Connect (http://www.projecthomelessconnect.com/)

How to access services

Wait in line in front of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Some people will be waiting overnight. Here are the current dates for upcoming PHC events: APRIL 13th, 2006 | JUNE 9, 2006 | AUG 10, 2006 | OCT 5, 2006 | DEC 7, 2006

How to Volunteer

Click here to learn about the jobs available and how to sign up. Note: Welcome Ministry volunteers who have volunteered have discovered that their emails are not answered and that they do not receive confirmation like the site promises.

Note from Megan: Remember, no matte what volunteers may tell you, there are typically only 15 housing units available for the 1,500 individuals who show up during PHC. And for all the people who want methadone only about 100 will get it. Also, for people referring individuals you should know that many of the homeless who go to PHC become more confused about the services offered by the city during the course of the day. Though there are a number of great freebies (socks, clothing, books, food, phone cards) that people will receive. It is also likely that individuals who want to make healthy changes in their lives will be told “no” over and over again. Some individuals have felt even more hopeless after a PHC event.

Senior Services

Elder Abuse Information, District Attorney's Office
Legal Assistance for the Elderly: 861-4444
Adult Protective Services (APS) 24 Hour Hotline: 557-5230
In Home Supportive Services for Low Income Elderly: (415) 557-5251
Network of Support for Community Living (Adult & Aging Services)
Aging and Adult Service
Elder and Disabled Adult Services (Department of Human Services)
Commnunity and Home Injury Prevention Project for Seniors (CHIPPS)
Curry Senior Service Center
Mental Health Conservator
Public Administrator / Public Guardian
SF-Get Care

Sex Worker Information

Temenos Catholic Worker: www.temenos.org

Shelter Information

See current information in English & Spanish

Due to changes in San Francisco homeless policy and the implementation of “Care Not Cash.” Individuals looking to stay in a shelter need to go to one of the following 5 drop in centers in order to get into a shelter. At the Resource Centers you will be photographed and your finger image scanned into a computer for future use, if you let it be saved, but it will not be saved without your consent. You will be asked for your Social Security Number, but you don’t have to give it. You will be given a reservation for a bed if one is available. If no bed is available you can wait there until a bed opens up. Beds become available at 7am, 8pm, 10:30pm,11:30pm, & 12:30am. You can request a ride to the shelter. At the shelter your finger image will again be scanned but in this case not saved. (Note for General Assistance (GA) recipients: If you are in a shelter, your GA check may be cut at cut at your next GA appointment. Additionally you may not be able to signup for GA unless you signup to stay in a shelter EVEN IF YOU ALREADY LIVE INDOORS)

For a bed for 7 nights in one of 10 shelters (1400 beds total) go to one of the 5 following Resource Centers:

1) Mission Neighborhood R.C., 165 CAPP (btw S. Van Ness & 16th St), 869-7977, M-F 7am-7pm & Sa 1pm-9pm, Spanish & English;

2)Bay View Hunters Point R.C., 2111 JENNINGS (at Van Dyke), 671-1100, M-F 24hrs & SaSu 4pm-9am, English & Spanish;

3)South Beach R.C., 320 HARRISON (at Fremont), 222- 9665, every day, 24hrs, English, Spanish & Samoan;

4)McMillan Drop-in R.C., 39 FELL ST (btw Market & Van Ness), 241-1180, every day, 24 hrs, English &Spanish.

5)Glide R.C., 330 ELLIS ST (btw Taylor & Jones), 674-6033, every day, 7-11am & 5-9pm, English & Spanish.

Shower Facilities

Social Security Information

Social Security Office Locator

The fastest (though not the most fun) way of getting signed up for SSDI is to go to the Social Security office on Market Street and get a drop in appointment. Note: if it is near the end of the month it is important that you go the SS office as soon as possible or your will lose a whole months benefits. The SSDI appointment will take between 2 and 3 hours, but you can save some time if you fill out some of the paperwork before you go. Some of the forms can be completed online (see below).

What you can do online:

For those with benefits-

· Change your address or telephone number.

· Get a replacement Medicare Card.

· Request a Proof of Income letter.
Get a letter that verifies your Social Security benefit information.

· Get a Form 1099/1042S -- Social Security Benefit Statement.
Replace the lost, damaged, or missing tax summary of your Social Security benefits for 2005 (not available for SSI).

· Get a password when

You want password access to information about your benefits,
Your password request code has expired, or
You lost, forgot, or do not have your password or password request code.

· Check your information and benefits.
See the contact, direct deposit, Medicare and payment information we have on file for you.

· Request or change direct deposit.

· Choose your password or block password access.
If you received a letter from us about password services, you can choose your password or block password access to your personal information.

· Change your password.

For those without benefits-

Apply for benefits

· Apply for Social Security Retirement, Spouse’s, or Disability benefits (includes the Adult Disability Report).
Note: If you're an Advocate, Attorney or Third Party Representative, we need additional information from you on the application.

· Begin or continue the Adult Disability and Work History Report.
When you apply for any type of disability benefits, we need information about your medical, work, and education history to help us decide if you are disabled.

· Continue the Online Appeal Disability Report that you already started.
Note: If you have not already started an appeal report, please follow the instructions in the Notice of Decision we sent you about your disability claim.

· Apply for extra help with your Medicare prescription drug costs.

· Check the status of your online application.
If you applied online for Social Security Retirement, Spouse’s, or Disability benefits you can check the status of your application.

See if you qualify for benefits

· Find out what benefits you can apply for .
Use our screening tool to help identify all the different Social Security programs for which you may be eligible.

· Find out if you can get extra help with your Medicare prescription drug costs.

· Estimate your future benefits.
Use our benefit planners to calculate your retirement, disability and survivors benefits. (You can do this any time.)

· Request a Social Security Statement
Get your personal earnings report and benefit estimates by mail.
This service is available (Eastern Time):
Weekdays - All Day (except 2 AM - 3 AM),
Saturday 5 AM - 11 PM,
Sunday 8 AM - 10 PM,
Holidays 5 AM - 11 PM.

Storage

150 Outreach: Outreach and Free Homeless Storage 150 Otis St, 415-557-6339 DHS150Outreach@yahoo.com

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9am – 4pm. Must be there by 3:30 pm. Tuesday 9am-3pm. Must be there by 2:30 pm. Changes of hours will be posted on the front door. Maxium length of storage is 6 months. You must check-in personally every 30 days. Valid photo ID required. Homeless verification required within 30 days of initial storage. If you do not follow any of the above rules, your items will be removed and disposed of by the Department of Public Works.

Toiletry Services

The Welcome Ministry: Our homeless and hungry friends receive toiletries every 2^nd Thursday of the month at our evening outreach program and whenever possible on Tuesdays 2-4 at the Welcome Center.

Veterans Services

See: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/cova_index.asp?id=102

Department of Veterans Affairs
http://www.va.gov/

San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center
http://www.sf.med.va.gov/Default.htm

Veterans Affairs Mental Health Services
http://www.sf.med.va.gov/MH/mh1.htm

Swords to Plowshares - Dedicated to restoring dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency to veterans in need
http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
http://www.nchv.org/

VetLinks
http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/vets/links.htm

Women’s Services

Battered Women

Network Ministries: http://www.sfnetworkministries.org/

Asian Women’s Shelter. MAILING ADDRESS ONLY: 3543 18th St. #19, S.F. 94110. 751–7110 (M-F 9am-5pm). Call 751–0880 (24hrs) or 1–877–751–0880 (24 hrs. & toll free) for shelter. New guests M-Th only, except in emergencies. Stay up to 12 weeks. Priority to Asian women and Asian children with limited resources who speak no English. Staff speaks Cantonese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Javanese, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Mien, Tagalog, Thai & Vietnamese. Kitchen & food provided for cooking, referrals, counseling, & clothing available. After office hours, calls are answered by “Domestic Violence Hotline” for crisis counseling.

La Casa de las Madres. OFFICE: 1850 MISSION, SUITE B (btw 14th & 15th Sts.). Crisis line: 1–877–503–1850. Crisis line for teens: 1–877–923–0700 (counseling & referrals only.) (All numbers are 24 hrs. & toll free.) Call 1-877-503- 1850 anytime for shelter. Program includes counseling, house meetings, 3 meals daily & chores. Stay up to 8 weeks. Non-residential program includes support groups and individual counseling in English & Spanish. To volunteer call 503–0500, M-F 9am-5pm. Spanish spoken.

Rosalie House. 3543 18TH (btw. Valencia & Guerrero). 255–0165. Call M-F 9am-5pm for shelter.

Adults asked for $0-6/day (kids free); stay up to 8 weeks. Can’t use alcohol or drugs once in the shelter. Program

includes counseling, house meetings & chores. Kitchen & food available. After office hours, calls are answered

by “Domestic Violence Hotline” for crisis counseling. Drop in or call 552–2943 for non-residential services &

peer counseling or to volunteer. Cantonese, Mandarin & Spanish spoken.

Pregnant Women

Network Ministries: http://www.sfnetworkministries.org/

Connecting Point. 442-5130 or 1–888–811–7233 (M-F 9am-noon & 1-5pm; ‘888’ number is toll-free). Not a shelter itself, but they offer placement in shelters for 1 or 2 parent families, expectant couples & pregnant women in 3rd trimester (with proof). Same sex couples accepted. Wait 3-6 months for shelter placement. Call for an intake (days & hours above). If you get an answering machine, leave your name & a number where you can be reached (messages checked 9am & 1pm). If you don’t have a return number, call until you get through. Spanish spoken.

Hamilton Family Emergency Center. 1525 WALLER (at Belvedere). 665–2354. Shelter for 1 or 2 parent families, expectant couples & pregnant women in 3^rd trimester (with proof). Same sex couples accepted. Call at 11am or 5pm for 1 night of shelter (12 beds nightly) or at 11 am to ask about 60-day beds.

Missionaries of Charity. 55 SADOWA (btw San Jose & Plymouth). 586–3449 (8am-noon, 3:30-6pm). Pregnant women only (with proof) call for an appointment for a personal interview. You must have proof of TB & HIV status. Must be clean & sober. No kids over 5 years old. Stay up to one month after childbirth. No new guests Th or Sun. 3 meals daily.

Women with Children

Network Ministries: http://www.sfnetworkministries.org/

Youth Programs

The most accessible and able program that works with youth is Larkin Street Youth Services. However, while their services are exceptional and very affective, you the forms to gain admittance can take over 45 minutes to fill and the large turn over of their staff leads to confusion and miscommunication. Despite problems with their organization, Larkin Street Youth Services are by far the best resource for the homeless and hungry aged 24 and under.

Youth Shelters

Lark Inn. 869 ELLIS (at Van Ness). 1–800–447–8223 (24 hrs.). Youths 18-24 (23-24 must meet with case manager). Come in or call any time (24 hrs.) to fill out application for when a bed becomes available (40 beds nightly). Length of stay varies, maximum 4 months. Curfew 9:45pm. Leave by 8:30am. 3 meals daily for guests only. Must be working or looking for work. Job readiness training, remedial education, GED & college entry prep available. 20 nights per year of emergency shelter; after that day labor (e.g. clerical, landscaping, grafitti removal) & case management required. Drop-in center: 1317 Haight St. (near Central). 522–1377.

Note from Megan: I have stayed in this shelter. The forms to fill out are long (about 45min worth). If you want to stay in an emergency bed you should show up around 9:30. Showers are available and you can eat dinner and breakfast. Toiletries and socks are also available if you ask. Due to lots of turn over, staff information and referrals are not the best. This shelter is wonderful, but it needs to work on organization.

Diamond Youth Shelter. 536 CENTRAL AVE. (near Hayes). 567–1020 (8pm-8am) or 1–800–669–6196 (24 hrs). Youths 12-17 show up 8:30pm-7:45am. Dinner, breakfast, showers, counseling & referrals. Length of stay varies. Guardians contacted after 5 nights. Spanish spoken. Drop-in center: 1142 Sutter (btw Larkin & Polk). 673-0911 ext 252. Open 8:30am-8pm [M-Su (12-17 yo); M-F (18 & 19 yo)]. Case management, education &

counseling available.

Huckleberry House. 1292 PAGE (at Lyon). 621–2929 (24 hrs.). Youths 11-17, who are not on probation, call if you can or show up to be assessed for housing for 3-5 nights. They contact your guardians before giving you a bed. Open 24 hours. 3 meals daily; access to medical services, case management & family therapy.