Genesis Community Development Corporation
Genesis CDC
Support for youth and families.
Find trusted support for mental health, food assistance, health access, housing and safety, learning opportunities, community information, and FAFSA guidance. Real resources for real needs, including help navigating financial aid and planning for college.
Crisis Support Available
Mental health and crisis resources include 24/7 options
Trusted & Vetted
Resources connect families with established support organizations
Six Support Categories
Browse help for youth, caregivers, health, food, housing, and enrichment
FAFSA & Financial Aid
Step-by-step guidance, application tips, and trusted planning tools
Community Resources
Support for youth and families.
Select a category below to find vetted, trusted resources. Everything listed is free, confidential, and available to anyone who needs it.
988 California: Mental Health Crisis Support
Free, confidential support 24/7. Call, text, or chat 988 for mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis support with trained counselors.
California Youth Crisis Line (CYCL)
Ages 12 to 24: Call or text 1-800-843-5200 any time for free, confidential help with stress, conflict, identity, and safety concerns.
The Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Support
Free, confidential, 24/7 support by phone, text, or chat for LGBTQ+ youth. Call 1-866-488-7386.
Trans Lifeline: Peer Crisis Support
Confidential peer support for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. 877-565-8860. Bilingual Spanish available.
Mirror: Private Journaling App
Secure space to write freely, explore emotions, and build self awareness without fear of judgment.
Never a Bother: Suicide Prevention
Free resources to help prevent suicide and self-harm among youth. For teens, young adults, families, and communities.
2026 Summer Meal Service Sites
Free meal locations by county, school district, or zip code. Updated regularly. Confirm availability before visiting.
California Association of Food Banks
Find your local food bank across 43 California counties. Locations, hours, and access information.
California WIC: More Food Options
WIC now offers flexible choices including tofu, yogurt, peanut butter, beans, and more. Ask your WIC counselor for options.
SUN Bucks: California Summer EBT
Eligible families get 120 dollars per child for summer food. Many families automatically enrolled. No immigration impact.
YMCA Food Program
Over 10,000 free summer lunches at partner locations statewide. Find participating sites and details online.
Smile California: Free Dental Events
Free community events statewide. MediCal dental benefits, oral health resources, and mobile dental van visits.
American Diabetes Association Youth Resources
Support for families navigating diabetes in children and teens. Educational materials, stories, expert guidance, and community events.
Drowning Prevention Resources
Keep young swimmers and children within arm's reach near water. Proven water safety practices.
BrightLife Kids App
Free mental health and caregiving support for parents of children ages 0 to 12. Available to all Californians.
Soluna App: Mental Health 13-25
Free and confidential emotional health resources designed for California teens and young adults.
Take Space to Pause
Understand what happens in your body when emotions build. Learn to spot stress and build your calm plan.
CalHope: Emotional Support & Wellness
Free resources to manage stress and anxiety. Warm Line, Red Line for Urban Indian communities, and school programs.
Are You Heat Ready, California?
Simple, practical tips to stay safe during extreme heat. Understand risks, find cooling centers, and prepare.
CDPH Family Disaster Plan
Step-by-step emergency preparedness guide. Identify hazards, create meeting places, and ensure your family is ready.
Child Life Disaster Relief
Simple tools to help caregivers support children during stressful events. Build safety, comfort, and coping skills.
CDSS Office of Youth Immigration
Culturally responsive support for immigrant youth. Legal support, stability, and opportunities through school partnerships.
Know Your Rights: Student Rights
Tools to help youth understand their rights. Protected from bullying, discrimination, and barriers to learning including housing instability.
Listos California: Disaster Readiness
Free multilingual materials. Preparedness tips for extreme heat, wildfires, earthquakes, floods, and emergency planning.
Boys and Girls Clubs in California
Affordable, safe enrichment statewide. Sports, arts, STEM, leadership, and summer camps. A place to build confidence and thrive.
California State Library Branches
Directory of public and institutional libraries statewide. Find locations, hours, and links to local library websites.
PBS Kids Summer Activity Book
Hands-on activities, games, and learning prompts. Keep kids curious, creative, and engaged all summer.
National Afterschool Association
Tools, articles, and professional resources. Best practices and guidance to strengthen enrichment programs.
National PTA: Summer Learning Activities
Ready-to-use activities and family engagement ideas. Keep students active, learning, and connected.
Find Your Local YMCA
Safe, welcoming spaces for families. Swim lessons, after-school programs, summer activities, and community connection.
CDE Extreme Weather Guidance
Statewide guidelines for schools during extreme heat, poor air quality, and hazardous weather. Temperature thresholds and protocols.
Safe Spaces: Trauma-Informed Practice Training
Free 2-hour self-paced training for educators. Recognize and respond to trauma. Available in English and Spanish.
Live Beyond CA: ACEs & Healing
Support for professionals and community members helping youth heal from ACEs. Foster supportive relationships and trauma-informed care.
California AfterSchool Network
Tools for building high-quality out-of-school programs. Resources, trainings, and best practice guidance statewide.
National Summer Learning Association
Evidence-based tools and practical resources. Research, planning guides, and strategies for quality summer programs.
Recognize, Respond, Connect: Behavioral Health Training
Free 50-minute online training for grades 7 to 12 educators. Identify warning signs and connect students to help.
Why FAFSA First
Financial aid starts
Financial aid starts
with one form.
Every year, billions of dollars in federal and state financial aid go unclaimed because students never filled out the FAFSA. It takes about an hour, it is free, and it is the only way to access federal grants, work-study, and subsidized loans. Start here.
FAFSA Help
Complete your FAFSA.
Complete your FAFSA.
Maximize your aid.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens the door to grants, work-study, and loans. The steps below walk you through what to expect. Complete it as early as possible each year.
01
Create your FSA ID
You and a parent or guardian each need an FSA ID at studentaid.gov before starting the application. This is your login and electronic signature.
02
Gather your documents
Social Security number, tax returns, W-2s, bank statements, and records of untaxed income. Parent information may be required depending on your situation.
03
Complete the FAFSA form
Fill out and submit at studentaid.gov. Apply as early as possible. Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and runs out before the deadline.
04
Review your SAR
After submitting, review your Student Aid Report for accuracy. Follow up with each school's financial aid office to confirm your award package.
Application Tips
How to put your best
How to put your best
application forward
Six principles that help students stand out at every stage, from the first draft to the final submission. Apply these consistently and you will be ahead of most applicants.
01
Start early
Most scholarship and aid applications open months before their deadlines. Starting early gives you time to gather materials and write strong responses.
02
Read every requirement
Disqualification often comes from missing a small detail. Read the full criteria before investing time in any application.
03
Tell your story
Essays are where you stand out. Be specific, honest, and personal. Committees read thousands of generic submissions. Yours should not be one of them.
04
Ask for letters early
Give recommenders at least four to six weeks. Provide them with your resume, essay drafts, and the program details so they can write something specific.
05
Apply broadly
Smaller and local scholarships are less competitive. Do not overlook $500 or $1,000 awards. They add up significantly over four years.
06
Proofread everything
Typos and grammatical errors signal carelessness. Read your application aloud and have someone else review it before you submit.
Useful Links
Go-to tools for
Go-to tools for
financial aid & planning
These are stable, government-maintained or widely trusted resources that do not require Genesis to monitor for changes.
StudentAid.gov
FAFSA, federal grants, loans, and repayment tools
CA Student Aid Commission
Cal Grants and California state financial aid programs
College Board
SAT prep, AP programs, and college planning tools
Fastweb
Scholarship search database with eligibility matching
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational outlook, salary data, and career paths
Scholarships.com
Free scholarship search with eligibility matching
About Scholarships
Genesis does not maintain a scholarship database. When we find an opportunity relevant to our community, we share it on Instagram. For ongoing searches, Fastweb and Scholarships.com are free and current.
Get Support
Need help navigating
Need help navigating
financial aid?
Genesis workshops include FAFSA navigation, college application support, and financial aid guidance. All programs are grant-funded and provided at no cost to participants.