STRETCHING YOUR DOLLARS
Prepared by the Independent Living Resource Center, San Francisco. Available in Spanish and Chinese
Food
• You can often get fruit and vegetables at a cheaper price if you go to the Farmers Market at the end of the selling day, since vendors would rather get paid less for their produce, than pack it up and haul it back to the farm or have to find a way to dispose of it.
• The Free Farm Stand distributes free produce from local organic gardeners, organic farmers, organic fruit from backyard fruit trees and public spaces. They also offer garden advice & help to those who want to start their own garden, including giving away seedlings.
Sundays 1-3 pm • Treat Commons Community Garden • the corner of 23rd St. & Treat Ave. http://freefarmstand.blogspot.com/2009/06/pride-day-free-farm-stand.html
• Free groceries & meals are available throughout the city (see Free Print Shop pantry & free eats lists).
PGE
PGE offers several discounts based upon income and medical need. It is possible to use more than one of these discounts at a time:
• California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE): (866) 743-2273
• Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA): (800) 743-5000
• Medical Baseline: (800) 743-5000
• TTY (800) 652-4712 • Spanish (800) 660-6789 • Cantonese/Mandarin (800) 893-9555
Phone/Communication
• ATT Universal Lifeline is a discount for basic phone service for low income customers (landlines only – no cell phone service discounts). (866) 999-6181
•TTY 800 651-5111 • Spanish (800) 870-5855 • Cantonese/Mandarin (800) 281-2288
• Free voicemail – Central City Hospitality House/Self-Help Center – 290 Turk Street
• Free Phone use
o Central City Hospitality House/Self-Help Centers (2 locations) 290 Turk Street ▪ 169 & 181 Sixth Street
o Mission Neighborhood Resource Center – 165 Capp Street
Housing
If your rent is based on a percentage of your income and your income has decreased, have it recalculated. Take your letter showing the decrease to the manager’s office or, if you have Section 8, to the Housing Authority office at 1815 Egbert St.
Transportation
• Bay Area – Make sure you take full advantage of transportation discounts for people with disabilities such as BART, Muni, Taxi (extremely limited) – see ILRCSF handout
• Homeward Bound
San Francisco’s Human Services Agency provides a one way bus ticket to areas outside of the Bay Area for people who are stranded (homeless or “marginally” homeless) in San Francisco. To qualify you must have no outstanding warrants, and not be on probation or parole. You must have a working phone number of a person who will verify that they will take you in when you arrive at your destination. You can take 2 suitcases/duffle bags weighing no more than 50lbs. each, and a small carry-on bag. Go to 1235 Mission by 9a.m. (tell guard “Homeward Bound”). After warrant check, interview and successful phone call, you’ll get a Greyhound ticket to travel THAT DAY, plus meal money. (415) 533-3475
Individual Emergency Grants
Modestneeds.org (website) makes small grants to people with an unexpected expense that threatens financial stability, including assistance to people with disabilities to support independent living.
