Department of Human Services
Homeless Assistance Services

Homeless Services

Change the Way We Give

Alternative Giving Campaign: Change the Way We Give
Give to the campaign supporting organizations serving people at-risk of becoming or experiencing homelessness.

The City of San Antonio supports the community’s efforts to end homelessness through participation on the South Alamo Regional Alliance to End Homelessness Continuum of Care; support and coordination with Haven for Hope, and contracts with community based homeless services providers. Support to homeless providers includes the following:

Alamo Area Resource Center Greater San Antonio Housing Works

Provides a housing resource database, housing locator service, and intensive housing case management to assist individuals and families with HIV/AIDS in locating and maintaining safe, affordable, and appropriate housing.

BEAT-AIDS Coalition Trust, Inc. Case Management

Provides case management to individuals infected with HIV/AIDS to encourage linkage to community supports and adherence to medical treatment.

Family Violence Prevention Services – Battered Women’s Shelter

Provides temporary shelter, counseling, and case management services to women and children who have been victims of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

Haven for Hope logo
Haven for Hope's Courtyard Program

The Courtyard is a low barrier emergency shelter where individuals experiencing homelessness can take refuge as needed. Clients at The Courtyard have access to three meals daily, safe sleeping, shower facilities, medical care, mental health outreach resources and more. The Courtyard is operated by Haven for Hope.

San Antonio AIDS Foundation Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program

Provides long-term housing subsidies to individuals and families with HIV/AIDS.

San Antonio AIDS Foundation Transitional Housing

Provides transitional housing to HIV-positive individuals with no income that are homeless and/or recently released from prison.

San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries Rapid Rehousing

Reduces use of shelter or other temporary housing by providing available rental units to individuals and families that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Seton Home Safe Shelter

Provides safe shelter for teen mothers and their children, allowing them to stay together as a family.

ESG-CV Funding

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Download: ESG-CV Funding (PDF)

CHARITABLE FEEDING

Charitable feeding shall means the provision of food to individuals without charge, payment, or other compensation to benefit those in need at an outdoor location not owned, leased or controlled by the individual or organization providing food. The Charitable Feeding section in the City Code specifically addresses the safety of prepared food and outlines minimum requirements for outdoor feeding of five (5) or more people. Charitable Feeders must comply with the following:

  • No permit or fee for charitable feeding
  • Removal of undistributed food from site 
  • Proper trash and waste disposal occur on site 
  • One person on site with a food handler’s or food manager’s certification (waiver of City’s fee for certification). This is not required if distributing prepackaged foods or whole uncut fresh fruit and vegetables 
  • Notice to Health Department at 210.207.0135 or 210.207.8853 with-in 24 hours of event 
  • Charitable feeding in all City Parks must comply with City’s established rules, programs, and fees and/or special downtown mobile vending requirements when applicable. Charitable feeders that are currently providing meals at Maverick Park in the downtown area are exempt from the special downtown mobile vending requirements.
Downtown Requirements

In addition to the above, charitable feeding in the downtown city center will require organizations to comply with established rules and programs for the reservation of parks and right of way. Parks in the downtown area include: Travis, Milam, Madison Square, Main Plaza, Riverwalk, Hemisfair and Alamo Plaza (Note: Alamo Plaza currently has a moratorium in place for all events pending development of a master development plan for the Alamo area). Charitable feeding organizations and individual feeders must submit a Park Reservation Tentative Hold Form to: Tonya Baum, Center City Development & Operations Department (CCDO) Special Projects Manager at 210.207.7819.

TEXAS FOOD HANDLER OR MANAGER TRAINING CERTIFICATION ONLINE COURSE INSTRUCTIONS

The City of San Antonio currently offers the Food Handler or Food Management Certification training course at no cost to recognized Charitable Homeless Feeding organizations. The City of San Antonio will only fund one training course session per person.

Texas Food Handler
Training Course Instructions		 Texas Food Handler
Safety Management Training Course Instructions

If you have any registration questions, contact Nancy Williams, City of San Antonio Department of Human Services Special Projects Manager at 210.207.5288.

For Food Licensing or Permit questions please call 210.207.0135 or 207.8853. After Hours call 207.8730.

Charitable Feeding organizations or individuals MUST contact Amir Sultan, 360Training Channel Manager Food & Beverage at 512.236.5479 to request a Food Handler or Food Manager online registration code. Then register on the training course link below.
Texas Food Handler Training Course
(Curso en Español)		 Texas Food Safety Manager Certification Course
(Curso en Español)
  • The Texas Food Handler certification course is designed for a food selling or serving establishments and is offered to all homeless Charitable Feeding organizations or individuals who handle food and implement safe food handling practices.
  • This course outline will cover topics on: food safety, temperature, hygiene and sanitizing contaminant factors.
  • The City of San Antonio will waive the Food Handler Certification fee to organizations and individuals recognized for homeless Charitable Feeding efforts
  • The two (2) hour training course can be completed online at your convenience
  • You must pass the final exam with a 70% or higher to receive the certificate of completion
  • Your Texas Online Food Handler Program certification is valid for 3 years from the date of course completion.
  • The Texas Food Manager Certification is designed for mid-level or experienced professionals in the food service industry, such as restaurant managers, produce managers, and other food management facilities.
  • This course outline will cover topics on: food safety issues, regulations, and techniques to maintain a food-safe environment.
  • The City of San Antonio will waive the Food Manager Certification fee if the homeless charitable feeding organization or individual meets the mid-level or experienced food service kitchen criteria
  • This is a ten (10) hour training course can be completed online at your convenience
  • You must pass the final exam with a 75% or higher to receive the certificate of completion
  • Your Texas Online Food Management certification is valid for 5 years from the date of course completion.

City of San Antonio will only provide fund one training course session per person. You will be given three (3) attempts to successfully pass the final exam

Upon successfully completing the Food Certification Exam for Texas, print out and provide a downloadable copy of the Food Handler or Food Manager Certificate to the San Antonio Metro Health Department counter at: Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center located at 1901 S. Alamo St. to obtain your Metro Health ID Card. For more information, call 210.207.0135.

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Download: Resources (PDF)

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Download: Strategic Plan (PDF)

SUPPORT SERVICES

Resources for homeless families include Childcare Services. Child care services are available to eligible homeless families enabling them to work, receive training, or attend school in their effort to become self sufficient. Once referred, parents are given the opportunity to choose a day care center that best fits their life situation. More information about this service can be found at Homeless Child Care Services or by calling 210.206.5550.

Children in families experiencing homelessness also receive priority for Head Start services. Head Start children and families of San Antonio and Bexar County with high quality educational, nutritional, medical, dental, mental health, disability, and other that promote school readiness and family strengthening. For more information, please contact the Department of Human Services Head Start Program at 210.206.5500.

SOUTH ALAMO REGIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE HOMELESS

The City is a member of the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless, the area Continuum of Care (CoC). SARAH directs the annual CoC plan, establishes priorities for projects, and develops coordinated policy on issues such as financial assistance, housing relocation and stabilization services. As a member of SARAH, the City helps develop and adopt efficient and effective approaches to the delivery of services to homeless individuals and those at risk of becoming homeless.

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Download: Strategic Plan Presentation (PDF)