Resources
This guide is a labor of love and a constant work in progress. You may share it easily by clicking any of the share buttons at the very bottom of the guide.
Please, feel free to contact me if you have relevant and verified resources that may fit!
Mental Health Support
Local- Bay Area, CA & California –
important: most warmlines / peer support lines listed do not have police involvement / are non-carcel resources but please, always check the organizations policies yourself to verify.
- Berkeley Crisis Support Unit – mental health crisis support unit with no police involvement.
- MH First Oakland – a mental health crisis support team & hotline with no police involvement.
- Heart & Soul Warmline – a non emergency/ non crisis peer support warmline based in San Mateo.
- California Friendship Line – a warmline for non crisis peer support and crisis support hotline for elderly and disabled adults. Based in SF but serving all surrounding counties.
- MHSF Warmline – A 24/7 peer run crisis phone line and chat line by mental health association of San Francisco.
- Fireweed Collective – a collective offering mental health education & mutual aid through a healing justice & disability justice lens. This includes Peer Support Groups and a Crisis Toolkit.
- Bay Area Community Counseling – affordable sliding scale (based on income) counseling in the Bay Area & much of California via online video.
Nationwide
- Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line – volunteer peer run support line. Eastern Time run but available nationally.
- THRIVE Lifeline – Text based crisis and peer support for marginalized people (BIPOC, disabled, LGBTQ2S, neurodivergent). 24/7 support.
- The SQSH – peer support warmline for LGBTQIA people based in St. Louis but open nationwide.
- Warmline Directory by NMHC – a directory of warmlines by state (peer run alternatives to standard crisis lines.)
- Warmline.org Directory – a searchable directory of warmlines (peer run alternative to a standard crisis line).
- StrongHearts Native Help Line – online chat or call line for support for native/indigenous peoples.
- Trans LifeLine – a hotline for emotional and financial support for trans people in crisis – run by trans people for trans people.
- Crisis Text Support – crisis counselor support via text, WhatsApp or their online chat.
- TWLO & Peer Support Space Good Company Gatherings – To Write Love on Her Arms & Peer Support Space host weekly virtual peer support group gatherings led by trained facilitators.
- Mental Health Therapy & Mutual Aid Funds – A list by Inclusive Therapists, centering BIPOC communities of resources for those who need assistance in funding therapy.
- Open Path Psychotherapy Collective – This collective brings affordable therapy to those that are uninsured, underinsured, or cannot afford to pay the full rate out of pocket. A wide range of diverse therapists.
Food Pantries & Meal Support
Local – Bay Area, CA
- Project Open Hand – a Bay Area non profit helping deliver hot meals to people dealing with illness, disabilities and aging.
- Food Is Free! Bay Area – North Bay Area (Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Vacaville +) based non-profit helping stop food insecurity through food pantries, park it markets, direct delivery (for those unable to leave their homes) and emergency food rescue.
- Napa County Food Resource Guide (English) / (Spanish Version here) – a list of grocery, pantry, grab & go, and general food support maintained by Feeding It Forward.
- Town Fridge – a network collective of free food fridges in Oakland.
- Marin Community Fridges – a network of free food fridges in Marin County.
- East Oakland Collective Food & Supply Distribution – EOC distributes groceries, healthy & hot meals, hygiene and household supplies.
- FREEdom Store – an Oakland free storefront ran by Homies Empowerment. Free groceries and essentials. Call or stop by to register.
- Free Farm Stand – SF based/located. Ran by volunteers of No Penny Opera. A free farm stand every Sunday.
- The Tiny Free Farm Stand – SF based/located. Small community fridge since 2019.
- Bay Area Food Pantry Database – A searchable by location database of food pantries in the Bay Area.
- San Francisco & Marin County Food Locator – a database for food pantries in SF & Marin County.
- Alameda County’s FoodNow – a website run by Alameda County Food Bank to help locate emergency groceries, food delivery and more.
- Community Action of Napa Valley – click under “get help” for food banks, free markets and home delivered meals.
Nationwide
- Lasagna Love – a grassroots movement non profit delivering volunteer cooked lasagnas and entrees to those in need & unable to cook themselves a hot meal.
- Freedge – Community fridges across the country. Find one near you.
- California Food Bank Database – A searchable database of county wide food banks in all of California.
- Mutual Aid Hub – a map across the nation of mutual aid groups including free community run fridges and pantries.
- Feeding America Food Bank Database – a searchable by zip code food bank database.
Housing
Local- Bay Area, CA
- Satellite Affordable Housing – Bay Area based organization providing affordable housing.
- Extensive list of East Bay Affordable Housing – an extensive list of organizations providing affordable housing in the east bay. Scroll down for the list.
- SF Housing DAHLIA – a portal listing many affordable housing opportunities in San Francisco.
For even more resources in your area check out findhelp.org a directory to find free or reduced-cost resources like food, housing, financial assistance, health care, and more by zip code.