Resources for Basic Needs

We recommend that you apply for financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) 

• If you haven’t already done so,  you'll need to submit your financial aid application before receiving emergency funds. It's free! Visit our Financial Aid website for more information about these forms.

Please submit the online application form. If you have questions, please contact Lisa Mandy, director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, at mandylisa@deanza.edu. 

To find a food distribution center or delivery program near you, visit shfb.org/get-food or 

• Call the Second Harvest Food Connection hotline at 1.800.984.3663
• Text “GETFOOD” to 408.455.5181
• Send an email to  getfood@shfb.org 

You can also find food assistance through the following programs. Please contact the organization to learn about hours of operation and eligibility requirements, if any.

• Cupertino: West Valley Community Services, 10104 Vista Drive, phone: 408.255.8033 
• Gilroy: St. Joseph’s Family Center, 7950 Church St. Suite A, phone: 408.842.6662
• Mountain View: Community Services Agency, 3204 Stierlin Rd., phone: 650.968.0836
• Palo Alto: LifeMoves Bredt Family and Children’s Center, 33 Encina Ave., phone: 650.853.8672
• San Jose:
  • Sacred Heart Community Services, 1381 S. First St., phone: 408.278.2160 
  • Salvation Army, 359 N. Fourth St., phone: 408.282.1165 x 3210 
  • LifeMoves Georgia Travis Center, 260 Commercial St., phone: 408.271.1630
• Sunnyvale: Sunnyvale Community Services, 725 Kifer Rd., phone: 408.738.4321

The Winter Faith Collaborative and Saratoga's Prince of Peace Lutheran Church coordinate overnight "safe parking" sites at churches and other locations, including some near De Anza, for individuals or families who are sleeping in their vehicles. Contact Amigos de Guadalupe in advance to be screened and enrolled in this program, by calling 408.341.6080 or 408.509.2731.

West Valley Community Services helps homeless individuals and families find long-term housing, through rental assistance and other support services. You can speak with the case manager who comes to campus twice a month with the mobile food pantry, or call 408.255.8033.

The Bill Wilson Center operates housing programs and other services that can assist students who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. One new program can provide free, short-term housing, while their staff works with you to find a longer term housing solution. You can contact them directly by using their online self-referral form.

Financial assistance and other types of support are available from a variety of city, county and nonprofit agencies. Here are some good places to find more resources

• Check the city of San José's Homelessness Response webpage, especially their two-page Homeless Services Resource Guide. 
• Santa Clara County has compiled a one-page guide to Housing Resources and a separate list of agencies that provide housing aid for low-income residents. 

The Office of College Life maintains a list of websites and tips for students who are looking for apartments or homes to rent.

Here's how to sign up for individual sessions by appointment with a Psychological Services counselor

• Send an email to dapsychservice@deanza.edu 
• Be sure to include your name and CWID, with a short statement that you are requesting psychological services

Check the Support Groups webpage for a list of groups and sessions, including activities open to all students as well as groups for student athletes, students preparing for transfer, LGBTQ+ students and others. You'll find instructions on that webpage to sign up for a group or attend sessions on Zoom.

TimelyCare provides free mental health support and other online resources for De Anza students. You can

• Speak right away with a mental health professional – available online, 24/7
• Schedule an appointment for a one-on-one online session with a licensed counselor
• Find online resources and referrals for a variety of basic needs
• Learn how to sign up for this free service at deanza.edu/resources/timely

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress – 24/7, anywhere in the United States. 

Borrow a bike for the quarter! If you're 18 or older, bring your DASG ID card to the Office of College Life during the hours listed on the DASG Bike program webpage. You can also call 408.864.8240 or email collegelife@deanza.edu for more information.

• Learn more about bike rentals

Via-Cupertino is the app-based shuttle that goes everywhere in Cupertino when you need a ride – and to the Sunnyvale Caltrain Station. (More transit connections are coming soon!) Discounted fares are available for students. Visit the Via-Cupertino Shuttle website for details on how to get discounted fairs and how to ride.

• Learn more about Cupertino shuttle

Technology Discounts: 

• CollegeBuys offers student discounts on computers, software and other tech products through its online store. 
• If you have a De Anza student email account, you also get free access to Microsoft's Office 365, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other online software

Need a Computer and Can't Afford One? We'll try to help.

• If you're in the De Anza College Promise program, you can use your Bookstore voucher to purchase a device. The Financial Aid office can increase the amount of your voucher up to $500 to help cover the purchase cost. Send an email request to Lisa Mandy, director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, at mandylisa@deanza.edu. Be sure to include your name and CWID.
• If you aren’t in the De Anza College Promise program, the Financial Aid office can check to see if you’re eligible for other aid or an emergency cash grant to help cover the cost of purchasing a device from the Bookstore. Send an email request to Lisa Mandy, director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, at mandylisa@deanza.edu. Be sure to include your name and CWID.
• You can apply to receive a free, refurbished computer through through the Occupational Training Institute's CompTechS program. Donated computers are refurbished by CompTechS interns and staff, before they are given free to eligible students. Find details and an application form at the CompTechS website. After you apply, an OTI staff member will contact you to arrange delivery when a computer is available.

Need to Borrow a Computer on Campus? 

• Check out the options listed on the Need a Computer webpage.

Free Internet:

• Comcast Xfinity: Comcast is offering free or lower-cost internet service for low-income households. Generally, you can qualify if you are receiving SNAP, SSI, WIC or other forms of income assistance. Visit the Internet Essentials website for more information.
• Wi-Fi Hotspots: You can get free Wi-Fi service – 24/7 – in the parking lots at Santa Clara County Libraries in Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill and Saratoga. Check the county Libraries website for details.

Rental or Housing Assistance
Some COVID-19 relief programs have ended, but you can check these webpages for resources and assistance:

• Santa Clara County Rental Assistance 
• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County 

Eviction Relief

You may be eligible for eviction relief if your income or expenses were affected by COVID-19. For more information or assistance, contact the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley at 408.280.2424.

State Aid for Low-Income Residents

You can apply online for state benefits including cash assistance, food assistance, medical care, health insurance and job training.

Sacred Heart Community Services

Sacred Heart is a San José-based nonprofit that provides a wide range of assistance programs for food, clothing, housing, utilities and job-seeking. Visit their website to learn more about these programs.

Please also see the listings under Utilities below.

Who's hiring now?

Check this list of employers who have jobs to fill immediately – compiled by NOVA, a nonprofit job training agency.

Lost your job?

California's state employment agency has compiled helpful FAQs about state benefits for unemployment, disability and family leave for people affected by the coronavirus.

• The Onward CA organization also has a new website for matching California residents with jobs and resources.
• If you have questions about unemployment benefits and related legal issues, you can call a new hotline established by Working Partnerships, a nonprofit coalition, and the Santa Clara County Office of Labor Standards Enforcement. Support is available in several languages at 408.809.2124.
• Multilingual legal assistance with unemployment issues is available from the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California by calling 415.484.2209. Help is available in Cantonese, Cebuano, Illocano, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish and Tagalog.

Immigrants Rising is a national organization that supports undocumented students with resources for education, employment, legal issues and mental health. Visit immigrantsrising.org for more information.

HEFAS (Higher Education for AB 540 Students) provides resources and peer support for undocumented students at De Anza College. Visit deanza.edu/hefas for more information.

PG&E is offering flexible payment plans and other programs for customers affected by the coronavirus.