Thrift stores are a great resource to find clothing when necessary. There are accessible thrift stores located throughout the County of SLO! See below for some recommendations: 

San Luis Obispo

Achievement House Thrift – 553 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – (805) 543-0412

Goodwill Central Coast Outlet – 880 Industrial Way, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – (805) 544-0542

Goodwill Central Coast – 15 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – (805) 544-4965

Fred & Betty’s – 532 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – (805) 593-0255

United Voluntary Services Thrift Store – 474 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – (805) 543-1545

Old Mission School Thrift Shop – 532 Higuera S., San Luis Obispo CA 93401 – (805) 544-0720

Thrifty Beaches – 876 Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 – (224) 245-1912

South County

Achievement House Thrift – 1446 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 – (805) 202-3068

Goodwill Store – 1628 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach, CA 93433 – (805) 481-8500

Central Coast Rescue Mission Super Thrift – 306 N. Broadway, Santa Maria, CA 93454 – (805) 357-1214

North County

Goodwill Store – 8310 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422 – (805) 462-9010

North County Christian School Thrift – 7395 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422 – (805) 466-1679

Gatherings Thrift – 5660 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422 – (805) 464-4483

Children’s Resource Network of the Central Coast

Children’s Resource Network of the Central Coast works with community partners to provide clothing and essential items, helping support families and children during times of transition or hardship.

To get connected, call (805) 709-8673 or email info@childrensresourcenetwork.org

Operation School Bell

Operation School Bell provides new school clothing to students in need, which has shown to boost self-esteem, encourage school attendance and improve academic perofrmance. 

To learn more or get involved, please reach out to info@alslocounty.org or call (805) 782-0824

40 Prado Homeless Services Center

40 Prado Homeless Services Center offers comprehensive services for indiviudals and families experiencing homelessness.

• Location: 40 Prado Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
• Phone: (805) 544-4004
• Services include: Emergency shelter with separate dormitories for men, women, and families, meals, showers, laundry, mail/phone services, case management, primary medical care, safe parking program and warming center during inclement weather.

El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO)

El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO) provides shelter and supportive services in Atascadero & Paso Robles.

• ECHO Atascadero:
  • Location: 6370 Atascadero Ave, Atascadero, CA 93422
  • Phone: (805) 462-3663
• ECHO Paso Robles:
  • Location: 1134 Black Oak Dr, Paso Robles, CA 93446
  • Phone: (805) 462-3663
• Services: Emergency shelter with case management, daily meals and showers, housing assistance and job readiness programs.

5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC)

5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC) focuses on housing stability and supportive services in southern San Luis Obispo County.

• • Location: 100 S. 4th St., Grover Beach, CA 93433
  • Phone: (805) 574-1638
  • Services: Emergency housing assistance and case management, financial assistance for rent, deposits, and utilities, youth outreach and support for unaccompanied minors, warming center during cold weather.

Lumina Alliance

Lumina Alliance provides comprehensive support for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

• • 24/7 Crisis & Information Line: (805) 545-8888
  • Offers confidential emergency shelters in San Luis Obispo and Atascadero, transitional housing programs, legal advocacy and accompaniments, trauma-informed therapy, and prevention education programs.
  • Emergency Shelters in Atascadero and San Luis Obispo host survivors in safe, confidential locations. To access the Emergency Shelter, start by calling (805) 545-8888. Staff are available to discuss options, provide valuable referrals, and help determine whether the Emergency Shelter Program is most appropriate for your situation.

Mobile Crisis Team (MCT)

The Mobile Crisis Team (MCT) offers 24/7 mobile support for individuals experiencing mental health or substance use-related crises.

• Access via Central Coast Hotline: (800) 783-0607
• Services: crisis de-escalation and stabilization, assessment and referral to appropriate care, short-term case management.

Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET)

The Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET) responds to psychiatric emergencies throughout the county.

• • • Contact: (800) 838-1381
    • Services:  Emergency psychiatric evaluations, crisis intervention and support, referrals to mental health resources

SLOCal Careers Center

The SLOCal Careers Center serves as a comprehensive hub for workforce services in the county.

Services offered:

• Job search assistance and resume building
• Career counseling and planning
• Workshops on interview techniques
• Access to CalJOBS for job postings and applications
• Training programs and Individual Training Accounts (ITAs)

Location: 3563 Empleo Street,  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Hours: M-F, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Contact: (805) 439-2557

Temp Agencies

United Staffing Associates – Paso Robles

• 840 Spring St, Paso Robles, CA 93446
• (805) 369-0009

United Staffing Associates – San Luis Obispo

• 505 Higuera St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
• (805) 544-0009

Luttrell Staffing Group

• 3220 S Higuera St #310, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
• (805) 544-1800

Express Employment Professionals

• 260 S Halcyon Rd, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
• (805) 349-7200

Online Tools

• Indeed
• ZipRecruiter
• SimplyHired
• Glassdoor
• CalCareers

What is a Child and Family Team?

Child and family team means a group of individuals who are organized by the placing agency and who are engaged through a variety of team-based processes to identify the strengths and needs of the child or youth and their family, and to help achieve positive outcomes for safety, permanency, and well-being.

How the Child and Family Team support the family through meetings

• Providing input into the development of a child and family plan that is strengths-based, needs-driven, and culturally relevant.
• Providing input into the placement decision made by the placing agency and the services to be provided to support the child or youth.

Resources

• Child and Family Team (CFT) & Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Tool (CANS) for Parents – English
• Child and Family Team (CFT) & Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Tool (CANS) for Parents – Spanish

Visitation for your case will be decided by the court and facilitated by your social worker. Visitation can feel overwhelming or intimidating, especially at first. If visitation is part of your case, these resources are here to help you understand what to expect, prepare for visits, and feel more confident during the process.

Getting Ready for Court: Visitation

The California Courts Self-Help Guide has a page with information about how to prepare for your court date, what to bring, and a general outline of what the process will look like. 

To visit the page, click here.

Overview of Visitation

SLO Foster Care has a guide to visitation that provides an overview about visitation in the county. This resource may help to answer questions you have and encourage you in the visitation process.

Click the thumbnail to view the guide in English and Spanish.

Parent Connection of San Luis Obispo County

• Services: Offers free, confidential parent education and individualized coaching for families with children of all ages. Classes available in English and Spanish!
• Programs: Includes workshops like “Positive Parenting Drop-in Group,” “Family Meetings & Setting Rules,” and “Defuse or Light the Fuse: Taking Control of Conflict.”
• Contact: Call (805) 543-3700 or click here to visit the website! 

Parents Helping Parents of San Luis Obispo

• Services: Offers workshops, training, support groups, and resources for families with children who have special needs.
• Locations: San Luis Obispo & Atascadero
• Contact: Call (805) 543-3277 or click here to register for upcoming workshops! 

San Luis Coastal Adult School Parent Participation Program

• Services: Provides classes for parents and caregivers to engage and learn alongside their young children.
• Locations: Classes offered in Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.
• Contact: Call (805) 549-1253 or email parentparticipation@slcusd.org

South County Youth Coalition (SCYC)

• Services: Offers free parenting and child-parent participation classes, along with grants for student activities.
• Location: Events held in South San Luis Obispo County.
• Contact: Call (805) 474-2032 or email scyouthcoalition@gmail.com

CAPSLO Child Care Resource Connection

The CAPSLO Child Care Resource Connection is a webpage that offers a variety of resources pertaining to childcare, including:

• Assistance with child care payments
• Finding child care
• Online tools to manage child care services

Click here to visit the website!

We Are the Care Initiative

The We Are the Care Initiative is a coalition in San Luis Obispo County that is commited to providing affordable, quality child care to families in the county.

We Are the Care SLO County encouragies parents looking for child care to call (805) 541-2272.

Early Learning Centers 

Early Learning Centers by California State and First 5 SLO offer child education programs through the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education. The Child Education Program includes:

• Curriculum geared towards physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and creative development
• Breakfast or a nutritious snack provided through the Child Care Food Program
• Teacher-planned activities

Click here to learn more!

This service provides a full array of treatment options for adults (18 years and older) experiencing substance use issues.
Please contact the access line at 1 (800) 838-1381 for information or to schedule an appointment. All services are available in Spanish.

Services include: 

• Screening and Assessment
• Treatment Planning
• Psychotherapy
• Medication Services
• Psychiatry
• Case Management
• Adult Residential Placement

Who is eligible?

• All adult residents of San Luis Obispo County are welcome to use the walk-in screening service.  After the screening, recommendations provided will suggest treatment service options.

Is there a charge for this service?

• There is no cost for the screening service. The majority of services are provided under Medi-Cal. For participants who do not have Medi-Cal, they will help check for eligibility and help with the navigation of a referral for substance use treatment, if you have private insurance.
• Some services may be covered under other funding sources such as a CWS referral or specialized grants.  Please ask when applying for services if that may be an option for you.

More information

• To learn more, click here to visit the County of SLO website!

Drug and Alcohol Services provides Residential Treatment or Sober Living Environments for higher-levels of care. Clients have been assessed as needing highly structured Residential Treatment or Sober Living Environments. Gender-specific, sober living environments create a structured and nurturing living arrangement which foster a safe place utilizing the peer-to-peer concept of recovery principles. 

Who is eligible?

• Anyone that has been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and has the proper assessed level of care can use this service.

Is there a charge for this service?

• Each independently operated Sober Living Environment is contracted with County of San Luis Obispo for a specific rate ranging from $35/day to $55/day. There may be funding available through specific grant sources as well as self-pay. Clients may reside in different areas of the County, from Oceano to Paso Robles.

More information:

• Click here to learn more!

Alcoholics Anonymous – SLO County Central Office

• Daily AA meetings across SLO County
• Meetings include open groups, book studies, and speaker nights
• 24-hour help line is available – (805) 541-3211
• Learn more at https://www.sloaa.org/

Narcotics Anonymous – Central Coast Region

• Free, peer-led 12-step meetings for drug addiction recovery
• Meetings held daily across SLO County
• No cost or registration required
• 24-hour info line is available – (805) 549-7730
• Learn more at https://www.centralcoastna.org/

There are several online support groups available for birth parents in California who are working toward reunification with their children. These groups offer a safe and confidential space to share experiences, gain insights, and receive emotional support from others navigating similar journeys.

Parents Helping Parents – Virtual Support Group

• A free, confidential support group for parents with children in foster care.
• Provides a safe space to share strategies, navigate the Family Court process, and connect with others facing similar challenges.
• Topics include: Working with your social worker, preparing for visitation and court dates, and knowing your legal rights
• Click here to register!

On Your Feet Foundation – BirthmomsConnect

• Offers monthly virtual support groups for birth mothers
• Provides a platform to connect, share, and support each other through the journey of adoption and reunification
• Open to any birth mother; sessions held via Zoom
• Click here for more information!

Concerned United Birthparents (CUB) – Monthly Online Support Group

• A national organization offering support for birth parents who have experienced adoption loss.
• Provides a safe space to share experiences and receive support.
• Meetings are held via Zoom on the third Saturday of each month.
• Click here to sign up!

Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA)

TMHA offers supportive services to help individuals and families navigate immigration‑related challenges—providing referrals, advocacy, and guidance to access legal assistance, community resources, and critical services in San Luis Obispo County.

Click the flyer to learn more!

San Luis Obispo County Public Health – Language Support Services

• Free phone interpretation in 240+ languages (including Mixteco) Mon–Fri 8 am–5 pm
• California Relay Services (TTY, VCO, HCO) for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
• How to access: Call Public Health clinics at  (805) 781‑5500 to schedule; request at least 48 hours in advance, but on‑the‑spot help may be available 
• Click here for more information!

SLO County Superior Court – Court-Sponsored Interpreters

• Spanish interpreters at no cost for defendants, parties, witnesses in criminal, family, civil, traffic, and other hearings
• ASL interpreters also provided free when requested via ADA form MC‑410
• How to access: Complete this form and return it to the Interpreter Coordinators office at 1035 Palm Street, Room 355, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 or fax to (805) 242-0607
• For more information click here

CenCal Health – Linguistic Services for Medicare Medi‑Cal Members

• Free telephonic & video interpreting (200+ languages) and face‑to‑face ASL interpreting for eligible members
• How to access: Call 1-877-814-1861 (TTY: CA Relay 711). These services are free of charge.

KM Interpreting – Live Bilingual Interpretation

• Provides affordable Spanish–English on-site interpretation for medical, legal, government, and business contexts
• How to access: Reach out via the KMInterpreting website to arrange services

Linguabee – ASL & Translation on the Central Coast

• 24/7 video remote interpreting, on‑site ASL, and captioning services across the Central Coast
• Low-cost professional services— accessible to any client
• How to access: Call 855‑585‑5859 or email support@linguabee.com 

SLO Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA)

• Fixed-route buses & paratransit (Runabout ADA service)
• County-wide coverage across major cities
• How to access: Call (805) 541‑2228 or use SLORTA website to plan routes & buy passes

Ride-On Access Shuttle

• Low‑cost door‑to‑door transportation for income‑qualified residents within SLO County.

• Eligible riders can request up to four round‑trip rides per month.

• Call (805) 541‑8747 or email contact@ride‑on.org to request a ride or apply.

• Click here to learn more!

SLORTA Dial-A-Ride

• Customized curb‑to‑curb trips within local communities (reserve in advance).
• Affordable fares and service area throughout the county.
• Click here to learn more, see fares, and find the Dial-A-Ride contact number for your area!