Tracy Interfaith Ministries strives to improve the lives of families by helping them become more independent. Tracy’s churches and non-profits provide short-term assistance for needs like housing, food, or eviction prevention. Case managers will evaluate what the person needs and try to give help as needed.
If families are struggling to feed their family, they can go to food banks run by a faith-based group. The resources available at these centers come from donations from the community as well as the time commitment of volunteers. The food banks have additional capacity due to the use of a local non-profit’s network, such as Feeding America.
The site has over the years provided support to many families. The food assistance has been for those who need it, and due to these services from Tracy Interfaith Ministries or its partners, they have been given access to it. There is a wide variety of food items available, including fresh produce, milk, and formula. There are also community gardens in the county that grow fruits and vegetables for the pantry. The current priority is providing services to cities and towns in San Joaquin County.
The Homeless Intervention Program and Eviction Prevention Services only offer a small amount of money for financial assistance. T.I.M. will provide either grants or no-interest loans to tenants depending on many factors. The money can help a family with an eviction notice pay their rent. An applicant’s home must be in danger of being lost in order for them to be eligible for permanent housing.
Individuals who were formerly homeless and are moving out of transitional housing may benefit from financial aid for security deposits or paying first months rent. This is for people who were in a difficult situation that they could not avoid, not for people who are always poor. Tracy Interfaith Ministries can help with a security deposit for those in temporary housing who are looking for a low income apartment.
If you need help with rent or a security deposit, the housing counseling office can assist you. The applicant must have experienced some type of unforeseeable event that has prevented them from being able to work, like an illness, being laid off, or an accident. They may also have experienced a change in their circumstances that makes it difficult to keep working, like losing childcare or transportation. The counseling will discuss these issues.
The applicant needs to have been able to support themselves before the event as well. This means that they have tried everything else and nothing has worked, so they are coming to Stockton for help.
Another resource for people who are homeless is emergency housing or shelters. These are for people who are homeless, women who have survived domestic violence, and children. There are many different programs in San Joaquin County that offer shelter, ranging from one night’s refuge to long-term support that provides a path to self-sufficiency.
A lot of seniors have restricted or set incomes, so a lot of them have trouble affording groceries each month. There are government programs that can help low-income families with food assistance, as well as free or reduced-price food from the US Department of Agriculture.
Frozen Meals on Wheels is a program in San Joaquin County that provides meals for people who are unable to leave their homes. Many of the clients are older than 60 or have disabilities. There will be assistance given to them in the form of low cost or sometimes free nutritious meals. The food from Meals on Wheels is delivered frozen, so the individuals using the service must have a way to reheat it. This means that even if you can’t afford to pay, you will still be able to access this.
The Tracy Interfaith Ministries Dining Centers are for people who are able to move around easily. The non-profit will provide healthy meals at various locations, most of which are at churches. Each meal served includes a main dish and sides such as fruits, breads, milk, vegetables, and more. This means that it will give older adults a minimum of one third of the recommended daily amount of nutrients according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
If you come by, you can also participate in community events and activities, like workshops. People from the community may help sign people up for government programs like Medicare. The Congregate Dining Centers aim to provide elderly people with the care and assistance they need.
There are many employment and education resources available as part of Tracy Interfaith Ministries’ case management program. The staff will help the clients to be stable. This will include support in increasing their annual income, reducing debts, managing financial assets, and finding community support.
Tracy Interfaith Ministries offers a Career Readiness curriculum to help individuals learn the skills they need to be successful in the workplace. The curriculum is easy to use and can be accessed by anyone who is interested in learning more about how to be successful in their chosen career. There are organizations in the region that provide career awareness and exploration, job search, vocational skills, financial awareness, and career preparation. These organizations strive to give people from the community the foundational work skills needed to be successful.
The ministry is located at 311 West Grant Line Road in Tracy, CA 95378. For more information, please call 209-836-5424.