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STATECaliforniaDowney

Downey Local Assistance Programs

This page lists local organizations in Downey, California that provide legal aid, food and community services. Statewide programs are described on the California page.

Community Legal Aid SoCalFree civil legal help
Websitecommunitylegalsocal.org
Phone(800) 834-5001
Norwalk office12501 Imperial Highway, Suite 250, Norwalk, CA 90650

Community Legal Aid SoCal provides free civil legal help to low-income people in Orange County and southeast Los Angeles County, including Downey. It handles housing, family law, domestic violence, government benefits, health care and consumer issues. Call the hotline to check eligibility and intake hours.1

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)Free civil legal help
Websitelafla.org
Phone(800) 399-4529
Phone hoursMonday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Long Beach office601 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802

LAFLA provides free civil legal help to low-income people in Los Angeles County, including help with housing, family law, domestic violence, immigration, government benefits and consumer issues. Its nearest office to Downey is in Long Beach. Call to find out whether you qualify.2

Food

Desert Reign ABL Food PantryFood distribution on selected Wednesdays
Websitedesertreign.org
Phone(562) 861-6011
Address11610 Lakewood Boulevard, Downey, CA 90241

The About Being Loved (ABL) Food Pantry at Desert Reign Church gives out groceries on selected Wednesdays. Distribution dates change. Text DRCFOOD to 84576 or call for the next distribution date.3

Downey Council PTA HELPSEmergency food pantry
Websitedowneycouncilpta.org
Phone(562) 861-9833
Address7810 Quill Drive, Suite S, Downey, CA 90242
HoursWednesday and Friday, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Downey Council PTA HELPS runs an emergency food pantry for Downey residents and families with children in Downey Unified schools. A referral from a Downey school is required, and families may receive help up to six times a year. Call ahead to confirm the pantry is open, since it closes on school holidays.4

Social services

St. Louise Resource ServicesHelp applying for health and nutrition benefits
Websitestlouiseresourceservices.org
Phone(844) 245-1900
Address10445 Lakewood Boulevard, Suite 105, Downey, CA 90241

St. Louise Resource Services gives free, confidential help with applications for Covered California, Medi-Cal and CalFresh, plus referrals to other social service agencies. Bilingual help in English and Spanish is available. Call for current office hours.5

Barbara J. Riley Community and Senior CenterCity-run center for residents age 50 and older
Websitedowneyca.org
Phone(562) 904-7223
Address7810 Quill Drive, Downey, CA 90242
HoursMonday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

The Barbara J. Riley Community and Senior Center is run by the City of Downey for residents age 50 and older. It offers a congregate meal program, fitness classes, and appointments with a state-registered counselor for Medicare and Medi-Cal questions. Call the center to make an appointment.6

Sources & notes
Data and figures on this page come from the sources and notes below:

Footnotes

  1. Community Legal Aid SoCal, Contact us (lists the Norwalk office address and the hotline). Downey is in its southeast Los Angeles County service area: 211LA, Legal counseling (lists Downey among the cities served). ↩

  2. Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Get help and Locations. ↩

  3. Desert Reign Church, ABL Food Pantry (lists the church address, phone and the text line for distribution updates). ↩

  4. Downey Council PTA HELPS, downeycouncilpta.org. Address, phone and hours rest on listings: 211LA, Occasional Emergency Food Assistance (lists 7810 Quill Drive, Suite S, Wednesday and Friday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, referral required, six visits a year). ↩

  5. St. Louise Resource Services, Our services (lists the toll-free number and the application help it provides). Office address from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, Health Care Options presentations, June 2026 (lists St. Louise Resource Services at 10445 Lakewood Blvd., Suite 105). ↩

  6. City of Downey, Barbara J. Riley Community and Senior Center and Frequently asked questions (list the address, phone, hours and the Medicare and Medi-Cal counseling appointments). ↩

  1. El Cajon Local Assistance Programs, California.
  2. El Monte Local Assistance Programs, California.
  3. Elk Grove Local Assistance Programs, California.
  4. Escondido Local Assistance Programs, California.
  5. Fairfield Local Assistance Programs, California.

About this information

SingleMotherGuide.com is an independent state-by-state reference guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Program amounts and income limits are compiled from official federal and state sources, which are cited on the page, and are reviewed periodically and updated as those sources change.

The information is provided for general guidance and is not legal or financial advice. The administering agency makes the final determination of eligibility and benefit amounts. To report an error, please contact us.

Data freshness

Figures on this page are compiled from the public sources cited above and may change; refer to the cited sources for the most current information.

Last updated
Updated by
Ada Hu
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