Pregnant and Parenting Students
El Camino College is committed to helping you achieve your goals and create a fulfilling college experience for both you and your family.
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Pregnant and Parenting Student Success
Explore on- and off-campus resources available to parenting students, such as childcare services, financial aid options, career support, and more.
Find Support and Resources
CARE Program
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) is a state-funded program, under the umbrella of EOPS, designed to provide educational opportunities and support for single parents receiving CalWORKs/TANF cash aid to aid them in reaching their academic and career goals.
Visit CARE Website
Email: [email protected]
Call: 310-660-6066
Hours of Operation: M-TH 8am-5pm and F 9am-1pm.
Location: Student Services Building 227
CalWORKs
CalWORKs provides support to eligible parenting students by helping them obtain their educational degree and/or certificate while gaining valuable work experience. The program offers a wide range of services to help students achieve their goals including counseling, case management, job development and placement, college work study, professional and personal development workshops, academic coaching, and reimbursements for books and supplies.
Visit CalWORKs Website
Email: [email protected]
Call: 310-660-6057
Hours of Operation: M-TH 8am-5pm and F 9am-1pm
Location: Student Services Building 227
SEA Success Center
You want to succeed in college – and we will help you make it happen. Get free one-on-one support for reading assignments in any subject through the Student Equity & Achievement (SEA) Success Center.
Visit SEA Success Center Website
Location: Student Services Building 100
Call: 310-660-3593 x3812
Social Justice Center
Our mission is to serve as an inclusive space committed to social justice through education and collaboration. We envision a world where our unique identities are valued, shared and celebrated with love. Center wants to level the playing field and provide much needed access to all students, so they can be successful in their academic journey. See their website for more information.
Visit the Social Justice Center Website
Location: Communications Building 204
Call: 310-660-6435 or 310-660-3593 x3535
ECC Career Center
Need help looking for a job? Wondering how to connect your interests to a career?
Visit the Career Center Website
Call: 310-660-3593 x6137
Gardena One-Stop
Gardena One-Stop are a cooperative partnership of business, employment development, education, training, local government, public as well as non-profit organizations, committed to developing job skills, abilities and attitudes essential for participation in today's workplace. We take great pride in the results that we have achieved and continuously strive to surpass our goals.
Visit Gardena One-Stop Website
Location: 16801 South Western Ave., Gardena, CA 90247
Call: 310-538-7070
MyChildCarePlan.org
A support website with a customizable search tool designed to help families find reliable, high quality, and affordable childcare. Includes a network of childcare resources and referral agencies across California.
Visit MyChildCarePlan.org
Hotline: 1-800-543-7793
Safe Space Family Child Care
Director, El Camino College Alumni, and parenting student, Earline Spry's created Safe Space Family Child Care with the purpose to provide a Safe and Christian Learning Environment for children whose parents are away for a portion of the day. Visit the website by clicking the title above and book a tour if interested. Accepting students now.
Location: 13501 Wilkie Ave, Gardena, CA 90249 Call: 310-503-0004.
Visit the Safe Space Family Child Care Website
Noel Jones Early Learning Center
A SCHOOL AGE DAY CARE CENTER in GARDENA CA, with a maximum capacity of 20 children. The provider also participates in a subsidized childcare program. Accepts Crystal Stairs and all other federally subsidized programs.
Location: 14527 San Pedro St, Gardena, CA 90248
Call: 424-295-9440.
Visit the Center's Website
City of Gardena Family Child Care
Provides quality care that includes nutritious meals and snacks, a safe and healthy indoor and outdoor area that is conducive to learning, a variety of age-appropriate activities, and an innovative curriculum that addresses the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical needs of children. Program is open to children ages 0-5 years. Currently accepting students to waitlist. Government subsidies are accepted, but if the location is too far, can provide similar programs in other areas by request.
Call: 310-217-6115
Email: [email protected].
Noah's Ark Preschool & Extended Program
Just like God instructed Noah to build an ark for the safety and preservation of his family, Noah’s Ark is a place where children can find refuge in a safe, loving environment to learn, grow, and play.
Location: 17661 Yukon Ave Torrance, CA 90504.
Call: 310-329-9411.
Visit the Program's Website
Rainbow Services
Provides shelter and support to students impacted by domestic violence, empowering them to move beyond trauma, towards safety & stability.
Visit Rainbow Services Website
Connect: 24-hour hotline (310) 548-5450
1736 Family Crisis Center
Provides comprehensive rehabilitative programs that are managed by licensed therapists, social workers, attorneys, and other professional staff. Men, women, children, and families can access life-saving support 24 hours a day through five shelters, five community service centers, various community-based offices, and co-locations and five crisis and suicide hotlines.
Visit the Center's Website
Location: 21707 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 300 Torrance, CA 90503
Call: (310) 543-9900
St. Margaret’s Center
A program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Inc., has served low-income and homeless families since 1987. The Center provides a comprehensive range of emergency and supportive services; advocacy, CalFresh, coordinated entry system, education services, emergency food, homeless support services, immigration services, recreation programs and utility bill assistance to individuals in the South Bay area. Geographic restrictions apply to some services. Students will be asked to fill out a form, on-site, in order to utilize their services.
Location: 10217 S Inglewood Ave, Inglewood, CA 90304
Call: (310) 672-2208, and Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Visit the Center's Website
Safe Parking LA
The largest safe parking program in Los Angeles and is the only provider of safe lots exclusively focused on vehicular homelessness. provides safe overnight parking to facilitate stability and housing in Los Angeles County for individuals living in their vehicles, and advocates for fair and equitable treatment and resources for the unhoused. If you need assistance, all participants must fill out this form and provide documents before approved.
Visit the Program's Website
Call: 323-210-3375
Email: [email protected]
Location: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Koreatown at 961 S. Mariposa Street, Los Angeles CA
90006.
Free Meals Finder | No Kids Hungry
Enter your zip code to find free, healthy meals being served by organizations in your community. Address is not used for any other purpose than to locate food assistance. You can also find these resources by texting the word FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304.
Find Resources on their Website
Aaron Community Cultural Center
Among other services, this Center offers free food distribution every Tuesday 10am-11am. Students must register in advance via Telephone: 1.800.527.4184. Food available varies every week.
Food Pantry LAX
A non-profit organization operating since 1985 that distributes free groceries every Tuesday and Friday morning from 9:30am – 12pm. Visitors can stop by twice a week. Larger families can receive more food. The pantry also offers baby food, formula, diapers, toiletries, and feminine hygiene products to those who request them. There are no income requirements, and no ID is required.
Location: 355 E. Beach Ave, Inglewood, CA 90302
Call: 310-677-5597
Gardena Valley Assembly of God
Provides food distribution services and transportation services to members of the community. The Bread Shed Volunteers ministry provides supplemental food for those in need every Sunday from 12:30pm-1:30pm.
Location: 1473 W. 182nd St. Gardena, CA 90248
Call: 310-329-6933
Torrance Housing Authority
Torrance Housing Authority has a Section 8 Rental Assistance Program which is a federally funded program which enables income eligible individuals, families, senior citizens, disabled and handicapped persons to reside in privately-owned, decent, safe and sanitary housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
Visit Website
Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
Phone: 310-618-5840.
Address: 3031 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, CA 90503
Family Promise of the South Bay: Provides shelter, stabilization, employment, and prevention programs for families experiencing homelessness. Partners with congregations and organizations in the community to provide space in their buildings to serve as temporary homes and offers children and youth programs, life-training skills, and case management.
Visit Website
Location: 2930 El Dorado St. Torrance, CA 90503
Call: (310) 782- 8196
Volunteers of America Los Angeles – Family Emergency Center
A 90-day emergency program for homeless families. The program is designed as a stepping-stone to permanent housing and employment. Residents receive weekly case management, employment search assistance, in-house mental health and counseling and other needed services.
Visit Website
Call: 213-389-1550
Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law
Provides free legal consultation related to family law including custody, restraining orders, divorce, paternity, visitation, child support alimony, and domestic violence. Individuals who want legal aid must call the new client line to make an appointment Monday-Thursday 10:30am – 12:30 pm.
Location: 3250 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 710 Los Angeles, CA 90010
New Client Line: 213-388-7515
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Provides high-quality legal services for vulnerable communities through neighborhood offices, self-help centers at courthouses, and domestic violence clinics. Legal services include help with restraining orders, divorce, child custody, child concealment, paternity, and child support as well as evictions and other housing issues, government benefits, immigration-related issues, expungement, and employment issues.
Visit Website
Call: 800-399-4529
Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Provides free immigration legal services and case support at El Camino College. There are on-campus locations serving students, faculty, and staff to ensure their rights and protections. The CHIRLA immigration attorneys and Department of Justice representatives at these locations provide culturally competent, reliable expertise with sensitivity to the trauma of immigrant communities. For El Camino College students to schedule an appointment visit webpage.
Schedule an Appointment
Visit Website
Call: 213-353-1333
Find Your Ally
To find which immigration legal aid organization is partnered with your California Community College visit the Find Your Ally Website.
L.A. County Department of Mental Health Navigator Services
Offers assessments, case management, crisis intervention, medication support, peer support, psychotherapy and other rehabilitative services. Navigator service will help individuals and families find mental health and other supportive services, and community-based organizations in their area. Enter your address, city or zip code to find the nearest locations.
Richstone Family Center
Provides a range of family services including mental health and trauma treatment programs that help participants out of crisis. Offers individual, family, and group therapy that meets the unique needs of each child and family. The center also offers skill building and wellness classes that teach positive communication skills and coping strategies.
Visit Center's Website
Location: 13634 Cordary Ave Hawthorne, CA 90250
Call: (310) 970-1921
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
Offers a variety of mental health services including child and family programs. Provides outpatient mental health services for children and teens from birth to 21 years of age and their families. Bilingual therapists at each site provide services including individual, group and family therapy, case management, parent education and medication management when needed.
Visit Website
Call: 888-807-7250
I am driven to be a better mother and show my daughter that dreams and goals can become a reality with endurance and bravery. Through all my trials and tribulations, I kept on track with my education plan and used every resource available… When I see my 4.0 GPA and wonder how did I do it? It makes me want to cry. I know why, because with the help of the CalWORKs program my goals are one step farther from a dream and one step closer to being a reality
Learn More
Extra Resources
Parents in Partnership
Having to seek out The Los Angeles Department of Children & Family Services can be a traumatic experience for any family, and losing custody of a child is devastating. The Parents in Partnership program is a committed group of Parent Partners who have first-hand knowledge of this experience, and who know how overwhelming and stressful it is for families to understand their rights and responsibilities when working with DCFS.
Visit the LA DCFS Website
Call: 310-972-3133
Location: 2325 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, CA 90501
This location serves: Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Palos Verdes Estates, Torrance, and the surrounding
communities. Visit the website for possible locations near you.
Free Laundry Services
Laundry Love South Bay: Allows FREE laundry services for anyone in need. No one will be turned away and there are no income requirements. Quarters, soap, and dryer sheets will be provided as well.
Hours of Operation: last Wednesday of the month from 6pm-9:30pm (last load is accepted at 8:30pm)
Location: Clean Scene Laundry 2301 Artesia Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Contact: 310-376-8989
211
This is a confidential service that connects individuals to free resources such as food, clothing, shelter, counseling or medical care, in their local area. Simply dial “211” from any phone or visit https://211la.org/.
Questions? Contact Us
CARE
El Camino College
310-660-6066
[email protected]