Fresno City Utilities: Assistance For Single Moms

Last Updated on January 30, 2024 by Lori Pace

Fresno single mothers can get the support they need from the city to pay their bills for utilities and meet basic expenses. There are many options available.

Cash Assistance For Single Mothers

The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) 

CalWORKs, a program of public assistance that provides cash aid to families with children in the home. It is available in all 58 counties of the state. A family may be eligible for immediate, short-term assistance if they have little or no money and need housing, food, utilities or medical care. Families that pass for the assistance will receive money each month to pay for housing, food, and other expenses.

General Relief Program

General Relief is a County-funded program that provides cash and in-kind services for needy people and couples with no children. You can use the grants for help with food, shelter, and other daily living expenses.

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)

RCA is a cash assistance program that provides cash assistance to refugees who do not have children and are not eligible for other cash aid. RCA includes social services such as employment to help refugees become self-sufficient.

Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

CAPI is a state-funded program that provides monthly cash benefits to disabled, aged, and blind non-citizens who are not eligible for SSI/SSP due to their immigrant status. 

Single Mother Help With Food

CalFresh, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides monthly benefits to low-income families and single mothers to help them purchase the food they require. Fresno County’s link database has 21 local food pantries that you can contact for immediate assistance.

Shelter & Housing Benefits For Single Moms

Fresno County’s link lists 14 shelters for emergency shelters. You can also visit the Homeless Shelter Directory for their list. This has a list of four options for single mothers who need help paying rent.

Fresno City Utilities And Energy Grants

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 

Residents of Fresno County experience triple-digit heat during the summer and freezing temperatures in winter. These residents need to use their heating and air conditioning systems to maintain a comfortable temperature. This can result in high-priced cooling and heating bills.

PG&E – Fresno City Utilities

PG&E has many programs that will help you save money as well as energy. They aim to meet the needs of their customers, even in these difficult times. PG&E is proud to be a part of the communities that they serve.

– ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE

You can receive a $300 energy credit through the Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help Program (energy credit support subject to funding availability). This program can help you pay for energy if you are experiencing a sudden hardship. 

– LONGER-TERM ASSISTANCE

Budget Billing can help you to manage the fluctuations in your monthly bills. The plan will keep your bills about the same throughout the entire year, regardless of whether it is hot or cold.

– ENERGY REDUCTION & WEATHERIZATION

Enroll in the Energy Savings Assistance Program to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

– PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS

Do you need more time to pay? You can keep your service going by setting up Payment Arrangements. To help with temporary financial difficulties, you can plan to pay your balance over several months.

– ARREARAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN (AMP)

They can help those who were in trouble due to the pandemic. We offer financial assistance programs, including AMP, which is a plan that forgives debt for eligible residential customers. For more information or to apply for AMP, log in to your pge.com account or call 1-800-743-5000.

2-1-1 Central Valley Database of Fresno City Utilities Support

• 9 different options for electric bill assistance
• 9 options for help with gas bills

Fresno City Utilities Help with Telephone Bills

California Lifeline Program of Fresno City Utilities

California LifeLine Program (California LifeLine), a state program, offers discounted home and cell phone service to eligible households. They have discounts that can help consumers reduce their phone bills. Except for participants in the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program and teletypewriter users, they only allow one discount per household. The household must choose if they’re going to use the discount on a cell or home phone.

Childcare Grants For Single Mothers

Children’s Home Society of California

Children’s Home Society of California has three Child Care Payment programs that provide child care services to eligible families. They are Alternative Payment, CalWORKs and Family Child Care Home Education Network. CHS served over 9,700 children and more than 5,500 families through these programs in Fiscal Year 2018. California provided care for more than 2099,000 children in total.

Alternative Payment Program

If parents are working, seeking work, attending school, looking for permanent housing, experiencing homelessness, or deemed at high risk by a legal qualified professional, this program will pay part or all of their child care expenses. Participating families can choose from a range of licensed or exempt child care providers in the area to provide their care.

CalWORKs

To achieve financial independence, parents need to have access to subsidized child care as they transition from cash assistance/welfare aid. The program covers all or part of the child care costs while parents are in CalWORKs Welfare to Work plans, employed or attending school. 

Family Child Care Home Education Network

The Family Child Care Home Education Network program (FCCHEN), is a partnership between parents, family child care providers, and Children’s Home Society of California. FCCHEN provides affordable child care for eligible parents and supports quality child care. It also establishes relationships among children, parents and family child care home providers. CHS program specialists provide ongoing technical support and guidance to family child care home providers who are in FCCHEN. This helps ensure high-quality child development services. has more information about the FCCHEN Program.

California’s Department of Social Services

CalWORKs Stage One Child Care

CalWORKs families can receive child care when they are first involved in welfare-to work activities. California Department of Social Services manages Stage One Child care through county welfare departments. Families enrolled in Stage One can pay for child care in their home with their Stage One voucher. Stage One Child care can be used by families until they are no longer receiving cash aid for 24 consecutive months. Our CalWORKs child-care webpage has more information on Stage One Child Care.

CalWORKs Stage Two Child Care (C2AP)

CalWORKs families can move to this program if they are determined stable by the county welfare department. Family members can stay in Stage Two or One until they are off cash assistance for 24 months. CDSS contracts are used to manage Stage Two with agencies under the Alternative Payment Program (APP). The California Community College system also administers small portions of Stage Two services through vouchers for students or on-campus centers. The vouchers for students and families in Stage 2 cannot be used to pay in-home, license-exempt childcare. Our CalWORKs child-care webpage has more information on Stage Two Child Care.

CalWORKs Stage Three Child Care (C3AP)

After 24 months of CalWORKs Stage One and CalWORKs Phase Two child care, families who have stopped receiving cash aid can transition to Stage Three child care. If funding is available and the family’s income is not below 85%, this program will provide care. This program is administered by CDSS through contracts with the Alternative Payment Program agency. The vouchers of Stage Three families cannot be used to pay for child care in-home licensed-exempt. Our CalWORKs child-care webpage has more information on Stage Three Child Care.

Alternative Payment Program (CAPP)

Alternative payment programs provide vouchers to eligible low-income families through state and federal funding. They assist families who are enrolled in CalWORKs Child Care and CAPP to arrange child care services. The family then pays the provider directly.

Migrant Alternative Payment Program (CMAP)

Migrant Alternative Payment Programs CMAP Migrant Alternative Payment Programs issue vouchers to eligible migrant families. These vouchers can be used for child care or development services with child-care providers in California’s central Valley. This program offers services for children ages birth to 12 years old, as well as for older children with special needs. Families move from one place to another for agricultural work, and funding for these services is available.

Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program)+

The Bridge Program helps families who are not willing to foster a child in foster care into their home and parents of foster children. The program provides child care navigator and child care vouchers with a time limit. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), training and coaching are available for child care providers in order to improve their ability to create safe and nurturing environments for children. The Bridge Program is not a right, but a temporary “bridge” to long-term childcare solutions that are used at the time placement to stabilize children in the most appropriate settings. This ensures that caretakers have the support they need to manage their home and work lives.

The Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) – Head Start Program

Head Start 0-5 is a federally-funded community-based program that serves income eligible pregnant women and their children ages 0-5, including children with disabilities. Comprehensive child development and family support services are provided, including education, support for families, nutrition, social, emotional and health, as well as support services for children with disabilities. Head Start 0-5 is dedicated to strengthening families and children.

Fresno City Help with Medical and Dental Care

County’s 2-1-1 Central Valley Database 

• 5 clinics where you can get a wide variety of healthcare needs
• 13 different places to get dental care
• 29 places to receive medical care

Fresno City Help with Legal Matters

Central California Legal Services (CCLS)

Central California Legal Services, a private, non-profit, public-interest law firm, was established to provide free civil legal aid to low-income families, individuals, and organizations.

California Rural Legal Assistance

California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. is a non-profit law firm that was founded in 1966 to provide civil legal services for low-income residents of California’s rural areas. Their mission is to fight for justice and individual rights alongside the most exploited members of society. They envision a California rural environment where everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and guaranteed their fundamental rights.

Financial Counseling for Single Mothers

Fresno County’s website 2-1-1 Central Valley lists four places where you can get financial counseling and credit

Help for Single Mothers from Other Groups

Fresno has many groups that offer single mothers services in many areas, including the following:

Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities is a community-based charity that provides food, clothing and housing support to families in greatest need.

Salvation Army

Salvation Army Officers lead Salvation Army Programs. They are responsible for leading by assessing and delivering programs, as well as directing ministries in our local communities. They serve food and balance the books.

2-1-1 Central Valley

Individuals and families in crisis can call 211 for help. Our operators are available 24/7, 365 days per year and can provide assistance in multiple languages. They can help residents connect to basic emergency services such as housing and food, job training assistance, translation services and mental health services.