Free help in San Jose
Food, health coverage, rent help, utility help, and more — real programs with real phone numbers, checked by hand. Answer a few questions and see what fits your household.
Right now · October 2026
Covered California open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027 — and California adds its own state subsidy on top of federal help for households up to 200% of the poverty line.
• Have Medi-Cal? Renew on time. A missed renewal can end coverage even if you still qualify (you get a 90-day cure period), and new full-scope enrollment for undocumented adults 19+ froze on January 1, 2026 — people already enrolled keep coverage by renewing.
• Housing lists open and close fast: SCCHA interest lists and the City of San Jose affordable portal are the two doors. The alert signup lives on the housing program pages.
• Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 – December 7. Free, unbiased counseling: HICAP through Sourcewise, 408-350-3200.
Email signups happen on the checker and the Apply for Me form — nowhere else.
Start with a category, or take the 2-minute check above and let us match you.
Household size, income range, ZIP code, and what you need help with. Nothing is stored with your name.
We show the programs that fit, with the phone number and the official application link for each one.
Most programs take applications by phone or on their official site. If you want, we can prepare your guide for you.
These programs have a date attached — check them first.
California's Summer EBT program, also known as SUN Bucks, provides $120 per eligible child to help families buy food during the summer when school is out. Most eligible children get SUN Bucks automatically; other families must apply at their child's school.
Choices for Children administers California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP) and CalWORKs child care subsidy programs in Santa Clara County, paying approved child care providers for eligible working families. Parents choose their own pre-approved provider.
20 Great Oaks Blvd, Suite 200
Go Kids is one of the two agencies that run the California Alternative Payment Program in Santa Clara County, helping eligible families pay for child care with a provider they choose. It also provides child care services and family support from its…
885 Moro Drive
Plain-word walkthroughs of the programs people here use most.
Tell us your situation once and we will prepare a personal guide — the programs that fit you, in order, with exactly who to call. It is free, and a person checks every guide before it is sent.
Apply for Me — freeYes. San Jose Benefits is a free community resource. Applying to the programs listed is always free at the official sites, and this site never charges you anything. We are not a government agency.
We prepare and guide — you always submit your own application to the agency or organization running the program. We never ask for your Social Security number or bank details.
Read the notice first: the most common causes are a renewal that never got completed or a missing document, and both are fixable — if you lost coverage over a renewal, you get a 90-day cure period to finish it and get covered again. California DID expand Medi-Cal, your children qualify at much higher incomes than adults, and pregnancy coverage was never frozen. Call the county Medi-Cal line, 408-758-3600, or run the checker to see your route.
Every listing was verified against the organization's own website or office in October 2026. If you find something out of date, use the “Report a problem” link on that program's page.
No. The checker and the directory are free with no account. We only ask for your email if you want your guide or the newsletter sent to you.
A person reads your answers, builds your personal guide — the programs in order, who to call, and what to bring — and emails it to you free. We never ask for your Social Security number or bank details.
San Jose Benefits
Free help in San Jose. Not a government agency — applying is always free at the official sites. We connect you to the programs that fit.
© 2026 San Jose Benefits
