Season of Sharing

Season of Sharing (SoS) Fund services are not intended to provide continuous, long-term assistance, rather, assistance is considered short-term with the goal of promoting long-term stability.

The primary categories of assistance considered under the Alameda County Season of Sharing (SoS) Program are:

Housing Assistance (HA)

• Security deposit for permanent housing
• Rent or mortgage

Critical Family Needs (CFN)

• Utilities (electricity, gas, or water) under threat of shut-off or already shut off at current residence
• Limited medical equipment and mobility aids (deemed medically necessary and not otherwise covered by insurance)

The Season of Sharing (SoS) Fund provides one-time, non-recurring financial assistance to individuals and families who have emergency needs that cannot be met through other resources. 

CRITERIA
To apply for assistance from the Alameda County SoS program:

• Applicants must be current Alameda County residents of 6 continuous months or longer.
• All adults in the household must not have received assistance from SoS Fund in the last 5 years.
• The household is at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, or currently homeless.
• The primary applicant is 18 years of age or older.
• The household is experiencing or has experienced an emergency, crisis, or an unexpected event within the past 6 months, for which financial assistance is needed to maintain or improve household stability, such as: action by landlord or property management; loss of income; loss or delay of public benefits; medical disability or emergency; or natural disaster (fire, flood, etc).

Documentation will be required to validate each household's eligibility status and emergency circumstances. Meeting eligibility criteria or completing the application process is not a promise or guarantee of assistance. Due to limited resources, assistance is awarded based on documented crisis and financial hardship. The SoS program may not be able to cover all expenses a household owes.

The Alameda County SoS program's automated pre-screening phone line is currently not accepting callers.

Starting April 2025, households in need will be able to initiate an inquiry through an online web form. When the form is available, it will be posted here.

SoS application portal for Authorized Partners

Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund Executive Director Zev Lowe and Alameda County SoS Coordinator Sylvia Soublet discuss the impact of the program on local residents.