Summer Health & Safety Resource Hub
Summer break comes with its own set of needs — from staying fed and safe to staying mentally well. This toolkit gathers trusted, statewide resources by audience so you can quickly find support for your family or students. We hope it makes your summer a little brighter and a lot easier.
Caregivers, Children & Families
Food & Nutrition Support
2026 Summer Meal Service Sites (CA Dept. of Education) Search for locations offering free meals to children during summer break, by county, district, or zip code. Confirm with locations directly, as the list updates regularly.
California Association of Food Banks Find your local food bank among the 43 across California.
California WIC – More Food Options WIC now offers more flexible food choices, including tofu, yogurt, peanut butter, and beans. Ask your WIC counselor for guidance on swaps.
SUN Bucks – California Summer EBT Program Eligible families receive $120 per child for summer food costs. Many are automatically enrolled; it does not affect immigration status and can be used alongside CalFresh and Summer Meal Programs. 📞 Helpline: (877) 328-9677
YMCA Food Program Over 10,000 free lunches available at partner locations statewide.
Dental Health
Smile California hosts free community events, resource fairs, mobile dental vans, and downloadable multilingual materials to support family oral health.
Heat Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Accessible Cooling Centers Guide — Steps for making cooling centers usable for people with disabilities and access/functional needs.
Are You Heat Ready, California? — Practical tips for staying safe, cool, and hydrated during extreme heat.
CDPH Family Disaster Plan — Guidance for creating meeting places, evacuation plans, and emergency kits for the whole family.
Child Life Disaster Relief (CLDR) — Tools to help caregivers support children through stressful or unpredictable events.
Asthma & Hot Weather Risks — Information for children and youth with asthma or other health conditions.
Drowning Prevention Resources — Keep new/inexperienced swimmers and young children within arm's reach around water.
Heat Risk Tool — Know when to reduce strenuous activity and prioritize hydration.
Heat Risk Grid (CDPH) — What each HeatRisk level means and what actions to take.
Fire Smoke & Ash Safety — Quick guidance for staying safe during wildfire smoke and ash events.
Listos California — Free multilingual disaster-readiness materials for heat, wildfire, earthquake, and flood preparedness.
School & Community Support Resources
Behavioral Health & Wellness
CalHope — Free emotional support and wellness resources, including the Warm Line, Red Line, and school-based support tools.
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) Resource Library — Free videos, apps, and printable tools supporting student emotional wellness.
Live Beyond CA: Providers & Community Support — Guidance for helping youth heal from ACEs through trauma-informed care.
Recognize, Respond, Connect — Free 50-minute training for staff working with grades 7–12 on identifying and responding to behavioral health warning signs.
Safe Spaces Training — Free two-hour, self-paced trauma-informed practice training (English/Spanish), with CME/CE credit available for eligible professionals.
CDSS Office of Youth Immigration — Support programs for immigrant, newcomer, and unaccompanied minor students.
Know Your Rights — Guidance on student protections from bullying, discrimination, and housing instability.
School Environmental Safety & Air Quality
CDE Extreme Weather Guidance — Statewide guidelines for protecting students during extreme heat, poor air quality, and storms (aligned with SB 1248).
CDPH Extreme Heat Guidance — Practical steps for protecting high-risk populations during extreme heat.
CDPH Ventilation, Filtration & Indoor Air Quality Guidance — Strategies for improving indoor air quality through HVAC and filtration.
CDPH IAQ Workforce Training Modules (UC Davis) — Training on ventilation, filtration, and air quality basics for facilities staff.
Health Guidance for Sports & Strenuous Activities During Extreme Heat — When to modify or postpone outdoor activities.
School Air Quality Guidance (CDE) — AQI-based recommendations for wildfire smoke events.
Expanded Learning & Program Resources
California AfterSchool Network (CAN) — Tools, trainings, and best practices for out-of-school time programs.
National Summer Learning Association Knowledge Center — Research, planning guides, and strategies for summer learning programs.
Resources for Youth
Learning, Enrichment & Developmental Resources
Boys and Girls Clubs in California Summer is the perfect time for young people to explore, learn, and connect—and Boys & Girls Clubs across California offer countless ways to do just that. With Club locations spread throughout the State, families can discover affordable, safe, and enriching programs that help kids build confidence, stay active, and uncover new passions. From sports and arts to STEM, leadership, and summer camps, these Clubs open the door to exciting opportunities all season long, ensuring every child has a place to grow, belong, and thrive.
California State Library’s Branches page provides a statewide directory of public and institutional libraries, helping families, students, and school communities locate nearby library services and resources. Users can explore library locations across California, including branch contact details and links to local library websites. Before visiting, be sure to verify each library’s address, hours of operation, and any appointment requirements.
Kids Summer Fun Activity Book A collection of hands-on activities, games, and learning prompts from PBS to keep kids curious, creative, and engaged during summer break.
National Afterschool Association (NAA) offers a wide range of tools, articles, and professional learning resources to support high‑quality afterschool and expanded learning programs. Through the NAA resource library, educators and youth‑serving professionals can explore best practices, program improvement strategies, workforce development supports, and guidance to strengthen enrichment opportunities for children and youth.
Summer Learning Activities – National PTA Ready-to-use activities, family engagement ideas, and tools to help students stay active, learning, and connected during the summer months.
Summer Learning Fun! Tips for Parents & Caregivers A practical tip sheet offering simple ways families can support reading, enrichment, play, and learning all summer long.
Find your local YMCA YMCAs offer safe, welcoming spaces for children of all ages and their families to play, learn, move, and connect. Whether it’s swim lessons, after‑school programs, summer activities, or simply finding community, there’s a local Y ready to help your family thrive.
Health, Behavioral Health & Crisis Support
American Diabetes Association: Youth & Family Corner — Educational materials and community support for youth living with diabetes.
California Youth Crisis Line (CYCL) — Free, confidential support for ages 12–24. 📞 or 💬 1-800-843-5200
Mirror — A private journaling app for youth to explore emotions and build self-awareness.
Never a Bother (CDPH Office of Suicide Prevention) — Free suicide and self-harm prevention resources for teens, young adults, and families.
Soluna App — Free, confidential mental health app for ages 13–25.
Take Space to Pause — Helps teens recognize stress signals and build a personalized coping plan.
The Trevor Project — Free, confidential 24/7 crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth. 📞 1-866-488-7386 | 💬 Text START to 678-678
Trans Lifeline — Peer-run, confidential support line for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. Bilingual (Spanish) support available. 📞 (877) 565-8860
Toolkit for Unaccompanied Minors (English & Spanish) — Helps newcomer youth enroll in school and access healthcare and resources.
To explore more school health resources, visit the Office of School Health Hub. Questions? Email SafeSchoolsTeam@cdph.ca.gov.