San Francisco Human Services Agency Launches Mobile Benefits Center

San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) today announced the launch of the Mobile Benefits Center (MBC), a new grant-funded program that will bring essential services including food assistance, cash aid, employment services, and health coverage support, directly to neighborhoods across the City beginning this spring. Housed in a customized vehicle, the MBC is designed to reach people who are less likely to visit a fixed location or government office to access services. 

Each year, SFHSA connects one in four San Franciscans - about 225,000 people - to more than 60 essential services. Through the MBC, residents can apply for and renew most agency-administered programs without having to visit a traditional service center. Available benefits on-board include CalFresh (SNAP) for food assistance, Medi-Cal for health care overage, CalWORKs for eligible families with dependent children or pregnant individuals, and County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP), which offers cash assistance to low-income adults without dependent children. 

Additionally, individuals approved for CalFresh can receive their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card and current program participants can access EBT card support on board the MBC.

“Our Mobile Benefits Center continues the Human Services Agency’s efforts to meet low-income San Franciscans where they are, working alongside the community organizations they know and trust,” said Trent Rhorer, Executive Director of SFHSA. “As we move forward on implementing federal mandates that are intended to reduce the number of people who access benefits, we remain committed to making San Francisco accessible to all and ensure that eligible individuals and families can easily access and maintain the support they need. We are grateful to Share Our Strength, the American Public Human Services Association, CivicMakers, and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank for their partnership in bringing this impactful project to life.” 

Many low-income San Franciscans, including communities experiencing the highest poverty rates, live in the city’s South and Southeast neighborhoods, an area without a dedicated SFHSA service center and where accessing services and community resources can still require significant time and travel for many residents. 

During the project’s development, SFHSA conducted community listening sessions, focus groups, and interviews with residents and stakeholders to better understand barriers to accessing basic services in San Francisco. A key finding was the need to reduce geographic and bureaucratic obstacles that make it harder for people to get connected to vital benefits. 

Through its programs and community partnerships, SFHSA provides meals, groceries, and CalFresh benefits to more than 130,000 San Franciscans - including 50,000 youth and 42 percent of the City’s children. With the $1 million grant from Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger and poverty nationally, SFHSA will be able to expand its efforts to address food insecurity while continuing to connect eligible San Franciscans to the core benefits available to them. 

The grant funded the purchase and retrofit of the vehicle, acquisition of technology, design and branding, initial outreach, and the development of program processes and informational materials. These efforts were part of improvement work conducted in partnership with CivicMakers and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and were informed by focus groups and ideation sessions with community members with lived experience accessing public benefits. 

“The Mayor's Office is working to reduce the cost of living and make our city more affordable for all San Francisco families," said Health and Human Services Chief Kunal Modi. "In partnership with the Human Services Agency, we’re making it easier for families to access food assistance and health care coverage, ensuring the most vulnerable in our city are protected. The Mobile Benefits Center will bring these essential resources directly to San Franciscans - taking away barriers, expanding access, and helping more families get the support they need to stay healthy.” 

“As federal changes continue to impact families and individuals’ access to benefits, investing in innovative, community-centered approaches like San Francisco’s Mobile Benefits Center is critical to protecting and strengthening safety net programs,” said Miranda Lauzon, Senior Manager of Benefits Access for Share Our Strength. “Our mission to end hunger aligns with SFHSA’s work by expanding access to SNAP (CalFresh) through approaches that reduce barriers, are shaped by community voice, meet people where they are, and ensure eligible households can successfully enroll in and stay connected to vital benefits.”   

Community involvement is central to the MBC’s long-term success. Its location and service schedule will be guided by bookings from community-based organizations, City agencies, schools, and other local partners. 

The 26-foot Mobile Benefits Center vehicle is outfitted much like SFHSA’s fixed offices, with two individual workstations for one-on-one assistance, printers, internet access, and security equipment. It also features a service window, a wheelchair-accessible entrance with a lift, and staff amenities including a microwave and mini fridge. 

As the program ramps up, the MBC is expected to visit several community events across the City each month, with eligibility workers, outreach specialists, and community partners available to assist guests. 

Additional information on the program’s services, locations, and how to book the vehicle is available at SFHSA.org/MobileBenefits.  

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