Resources
Are you looking for resources for yourself, a child with special needs, or an older relative who needs help? Check out the list below and get help with food, shelter, jobs, equipment exchanges, independent living, arts and recreation, support groups, and more. If you have any ideas for other resources we could add to this page, please contact us!
Arts & Recreation
Access California Find your accessible outdoor adventure.
AXIS Dance Company One of the world’s most acclaimed and innovative ensembles of performers.
Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP) Hosts activities such as bicycling, water sports, and camping for children and adults.
Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors Seeks to make all aspects of sailing accessible.
Camp Bennett An intensive therapy and social skills summer camp providing constraint-induced movement therapy for hemiplegic children ages 3-8.
Catch a Special Thrill (CAST) Fishing programs for children.
Creative Growth Creative Growth Art Center provides a professional studio environment for artistic development, gallery exhibition and representation, and a social atmosphere among peers.
Creativity Explored Creativity Explored provides artists with special needs the means to create, exhibit, and sell their art in their studios and gallery.
DreamPower Horsemanship Working with horses provides a wonderful opportunity to engage in activities outside of a traditional therapeutic environment.
Halleck Creek Ranch For over 30 years, Halleck Creek Ranch has helped people live a life without barriers through therapeutic horseback riding. Located in the Nicasio Valley in Marin County.
KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) Provides one-on-one volunteer-led recreational opportunities for children and young adults. Located in San Francisco.
Move United Provides opportunities for individuals to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports, recreation, and educational programs.
Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center Provides recreational, vocational, and educational opportunities through programs that encourage self-expression, promote personal achievement, and lead to greater independence.
San Francisco Recreation and Parks – Specialized Therapeutic Recreation Program
Stephen J. Wampler Foundation Wilderness programs for kids.
Summer Camps Extensive list of summer camps from the Family Resource Network.
Walnut Creek Arts & Rec Art classes, exercise classes, and bowling and pizza parties.
Assistive Technology, Equipment Exchanges, and Wheelchairs
Ability Now: Laura Long Technology Center Hosts thirty workstations equipped with adaptive hardware and software. Classes focus on the use of assistive technology to expand expressive and receptive communication through the development of computer skills and use of the internet.
Center for Accessible Technology Provides access to computers.
CIL (Center for Independent Living): AT Loaners & Repairs Accepts large and small, high-tech and low-tech, mobility-related and non mobility-related AT donations. Cleans, repairs, and refurbishes items before distributing for reuse.
CRIL (Community Resources for Independent Living): Assistive Technology Maintains a lending library of various AT devices that can be loaned to individuals, their family members, school counselors, teachers, and businesses.
NLS (National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled) Offers hundreds of thousands of titles in audio and braille, half of which are available for immediate download.
ReCares Collects and redistributes donations of clean, gently used medical equipment and unused home health care supplies, free of charge.
Children’s Services
Bananas Free parenting information, workshops, referrals to family child care, child care centers, preschools, babysitters, in-home caregivers, nannies, and playgroups.
Early Start Provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers and their families.
Early Head Start Home Based Program Specialized center and home based program serving children ages 0-3.
Center for Early Intervention on Deafness CEID’s mission is to maximize the communication potential of young children (0-5 years old) who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have severe speech and language delays.
California Children’s Services
Children’s Council of San Francisco Works to make affordable, high-quality child care a reality for all working families.
Family Voices of California (FVCA) Statewide collaborative of locally based, parent-run centers that work to ensure quality health care for children and youth with special health care needs.
San Francisco Inclusion Networks Provides professional development that supports the inclusion of young children and their families in San Francisco’s early care and education programs.
College
CSU East Bay Students
The Accessibility Services department provides academic accommodations.
UC Berkeley Students
The Disabled Student’s Program (DSP) Ensures that students have equal access to educational opportunities at UC Berkeley. Services are individually designed and based on the specific needs of each student.
Employment
Computer Technologies Program Broadens employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities by providing training in information technologies and self-marketing strategies and advocacy, in partnership with the business and rehabilitation communities.
East Bay Innovations Apply for a year long, Monday through Friday internship at a local business. Combines classroom instruction, career exploration, and on the job training.
Futures Explored Provides life skills and work-related training to adults.
JobTIPS Website helps people, such as those with autism spectrum disorder, explore career interests, seek and obtain employment, and successfully maintain employment.
Independent Living
Ability Now Provides innovative programs and services and creates a culture of support.
Center for Independent Living World’s first organization run by and for people with disabilities.
Communication Works A private practice that provides the highest level of speech, language, social, and occupational therapy. Website features an extensive list of Bay Area support groups.
Community Resources for Independent Living Peer-based organization that advocates and provides resources.
East Bay Innovations Dedicated to assisting people to live in their own homes and to be employed in jobs of their choosing. Provides an array of support services and help in accessing and utilizing community resources.
Ed Roberts Campus Facility in Berkeley that houses organizations such as: the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program, the Center for Accessible Technology, the Center for Independent Living, the Computer Technologies Program, the Disabled Rights Education and Defense Fund, Through the Looking Glass, and the World Institute on Disability.
Independent Living Resource Center, San Francisco Disability rights advocacy and support organization.
Lifehouse Provides life skills training, community integration, advocacy, referrals, and community information.
Lions Center for the Visually Impaired Education and training, high quality state certified programs, designed to promote the fullest integration into society and into the workforce.
Regional Center of the East Bay
Toolworks A human services agency dedicated to providing the tools and resources that promote independence, equality, and personal satisfaction.
World Institute on Disability Program focuses on issues that affect people’s ability to live full and independent lives. A majority of the board and staff have disabilities.
Law & Policy
The Arc Promotes and protects the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and supports their inclusion and participation in the community.
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) Established by state and federal law as an independent state agency to ensure that people and their families receive the services and support they need.
Disability Rights California Designated the state’s protection and advocacy system for Californians with disabilities, they offer free legal and advocacy services for disability-related issues.
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund A leading national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities.
IDEA The individuals with disabilities education act.
Lanterman Coalition The Lanterman Coalition is a group of individuals who care about the preservation of the Lanterman Act and the 1985 California Supreme Court decision that created a contract between the state and its citizens with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.
Nutrition
Alameda County Food Bank Provides food to children, adults, and seniors.
CalFresh Provides monthly assistance to low or no income individuals and families to purchase nutritious food.
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties Nutritious food for people experiencing hunger or food insecurity.
San Francisco-Marin County Food Bank Food pantry network, home delivered groceries, and help with CalFresh enrollment.
WIC A federally-funded health and nutrition program for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or just had a baby, children under 5 years old, and families with a low to medium income.
Special Education
American Foundation for the Blind
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
The Bridge School Founded in 1986 by musicians Neil and Pegi Young, inspired by their son with CP.
California Department of Education – Special Education Division
CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)
LD For people with learning disabilities and ADHD. There are many different ways to learn, and having the right tools at school and at home can change everything.
Office of Special Education Programs
Teaching LD Information and resources for teaching students with learning disabilities.
Support Groups
Autism Collective For peer socialization, play, and imagination.
Council for Exceptional Children Forum For professionals and families to collaborate, discuss, and problem solve on topics in special education.
Friends of Children with Special Needs Facebook group for parents with special needs children.
Jeena Support groups for parents of children with developmental disorders. Focused on the specific cultural needs of families from Southeast Asia.
Kidpower Learn how to protect kids from bullying and empower them with social skills.
Parents of Orinda Individuals in Special Education (POISE) Information and support group for Orinda parents with kids in special education.