Everyday essentials can make a meaningful difference for someone experiencing homelessness or housing instability. At Tracy Community Connections Center (TCCC), we provide practical resources to help our neighbors maintain their health, comfort, and dignity. Right now, our shelves need a little help restocking some of the hygiene products and personal care items our clients rely on.
Our Mobile Shower Program offers more than a place to get clean. It gives people access to hygiene supplies, clean clothing, and compassionate support in a welcoming environment. Having fresh socks, clean underwear, or basic toiletries can help someone feel more comfortable and confident as they navigate daily life, look for work, or take steps toward more stable housing.
What Hygiene Donations Does TCCC Need?
We’re currently looking for donations of the following items:
Men’s underwear in sizes M–XXL
Socks
Small or travel-size shampoo
Conditioner
Lotion
Bar soap
Deodorant
Razors
Sunscreen
Body wash
Whether you can donate a few items or organize a larger collection, your contribution helps us keep these essentials available when they’re needed most. If you’re shopping for your household, consider picking up a few extra items to share with someone in our community.
Shop Our Givelink Wishlist
Want to make donating even easier? TCCC partners with Givelink to offer an online wishlist of needed supplies. You can browse available items, choose what you’d like to purchase, and have your donation delivered directly to support our programs.
Our Givelink wishlist is a convenient way to help us meet current needs. Because the list highlights items we’re looking for, you can feel confident that your purchase is helping provide practical support to our neighbors.
Prefer to shop locally and deliver your donations in person? Hygiene and other accepted in-kind donations can be dropped off at:
New Heart Church
1647 Bessie Ave., Tracy, CA
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Every donation, big or small, helps TCCC continue serving people experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Tracy. Thank you for helping us keep these everyday essentials within reach and showing our neighbors that their community cares.
Everyone should have access to information about how to participate in their community, including information about voting. This October, Tracy Community Connections Center (TCCC) is hosting two Election Education Events during our regular Shower and Laundry Programs to help community members learn more about voter registration and the upcoming election.
These events are focused on providing information and answering questions. If you are unsure whether you are registered to vote, want to learn more about what will be on the ballot, or simply have questions about the voting process, TCCC staff and San Joaquin County representatives will be available to help.
October 5: Election Education at the Shower Program
October 5 | 9 a.m.–1 p.m. New Heart Church 1647 Bessie Ave., Tracy, CA
During our Shower Program, TCCC will be available to help clients check their voter registration status, learn about voting, and register to vote if they are eligible.
San Joaquin County will also be on site to support the education effort. County representatives will have games, conversation starters, educational materials, and some fun swag to share.
October 20: Election Education at the Laundry Program
October 20 | 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Redemption Road Church 72 E. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA
During TCCC’s Laundry Program on October 20, our team will be available to help unhoused community members check their voter registration and learn more about registering to vote.
San Joaquin County representatives will again be joining us with educational materials, games, conversation starters, and swag.
Not having a permanent home address does not automatically prevent an eligible person from registering to vote. California allows people experiencing homelessness to register using a description of the location where they spend most of their time, while providing a mailing address where they can receive election materials.
Whether you have questions about your registration, want to better understand the voting process, or simply want to learn more, we welcome you to stop by. TCCC is proud to help connect our community with information and resources that can make civic participation more accessible.
We’re always looking for simple and meaningful ways for community members to support our programs. Thanks to a new partnership with Givelink US, it’s now easier than ever to donate essential items directly to the people we serve.
Every day, our team provides support to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability. Many of the most-needed items aren’t expensive or complicated, but are in fact everyday essentials like socks, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, and other basic necessities that help people maintain their health, comfort, and dignity.
Through our new online wishlist, supporters can see exactly what items are currently needed, select a product, and have it sent directly to support TCCC’s programs. Whether it’s supplies for our shower and laundry programs, hygiene items for outreach, or basic necessities for clients working toward stability, every donation helps meet a real and immediate need in our community.
One of the things we love most about this partnership is the transparency it provides. Donors can feel confident knowing they are purchasing items that our team has specifically identified as needed. It’s a direct and practical way to make an impact for individuals facing difficult circumstances.
We are grateful to the team at Givelink US for helping us launch this opportunity. As they shared with us, “It’s such a pleasure working with your incredible cause.” We’re excited to partner with organizations that make community giving easier and more accessible.
If you’d like to support TCCC, we invite you to browse our wishlist and consider purchasing an item. Sometimes the smallest donations can make the biggest difference in someone’s day.
When someone is facing the possibility of losing their housing, every day matters. Many people wait until an eviction notice has been served, utilities have been shut off, or they have nowhere left to go before seeking help. Unfortunately, by that point, the options available may be more limited. Early intervention can make a significant difference.
At Tracy Community Connections Center (TCCC), we often meet people who are just one unexpected setback away from homelessness. A job loss, medical emergency, divorce, reduction in work hours, rent increase, or unexpected expense can quickly create a housing crisis. The good news is that there may be resources available before someone loses their home.
Preventing a family from becoming homeless is almost always less expensive and far less traumatic than helping them recover after losing housing.
Start the Conversation Early
Assistance programs have limited funding so seeking help early increases the likelihood that you can get help. You don’t have to wait until you’re facing eviction. If you’re worried about staying housed next month, today is the right time to reach out.
If someone you know is struggling to pay rent, falling behind on bills, or talking about moving into their car or staying with friends, encourage them to seek assistance as soon as possible. Many people feel embarrassed about asking for help, but reaching out early often leads to better outcomes.
Sometimes a simple conversation can reveal options that haven’t been explored yet, such as payment plans, rental assistance programs, public benefits, or community resources.
Gather Important Documents
When applying for assistance, it helps to have important paperwork ready. This may include:
Identification
Lease agreements
Utility bills
Pay stubs or proof of income
Eviction notices or landlord communications
Benefit award letters
Having these documents available can help speed up the process when seeking support.
Connect With Local Resources
Organizations throughout San Joaquin County provide support for individuals and families facing housing instability. Depending on the situation, assistance may include housing navigation, case management, benefit enrollment, rental assistance referrals, food resources, healthcare referrals, or employment support.
TCCC’s case management team works with clients to understand their specific circumstances and connect them with available resources. Every situation is different, and finding the right solution often requires a personalized approach.
Don’t Wait for a Crisis
One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is that preventing homelessness is often easier than resolving it after housing has already been lost. Relatively small amounts of financial assistance and support can help many households avoid homelessness altogether.
If you know someone who is struggling to stay housed, encourage them to seek help now rather than later. Early intervention can preserve stability, reduce stress, and help individuals and families avoid the trauma of homelessness.
If any of these situations apply to you, don’t wait:
You’ve had to choose between paying rent and buying groceries or medication.
You’re using credit cards or payday loans to cover basic living expenses.
You’re one paycheck away from missing rent.
Your landlord has given you a late notice or warned you about unpaid rent.
Your utilities are at risk of disconnection.
You’ve lost work hours, experienced a job loss, or had a medical issue that reduced your income.
You’re relying on family or friends to help pay bills each month.
If you know you’ll have trouble paying rent, contact your landlord as soon as possible.
Many landlords would rather work out a payment plan than go through the eviction process. If you’re working with a case manager, they may also be able to help communicate with your landlord to help resolve or mitigate the situation.
Ignoring notices or hoping the problem will resolve itself often makes the situation more difficult in the long run.
We’re Here to Help
If you or someone you know is at risk of losing housing, contact Tracy Community Connections Center as soon as possible. Our team can help assess the situation, provide guidance, and connect people with resources that may help them remain safely housed.
When most people think about homelessness, they often assume unemployment is the primary cause. While losing a job can certainly lead to housing instability, the reality is that many people experiencing homelessness are currently working. In Tracy and throughout San Joaquin County, employed individuals and families are increasingly finding themselves unable to keep up with the rising cost of housing.
One of the biggest factors is the growing gap between wages and rent. Even people working full-time may struggle to afford housing when rent consumes a large portion of their income. A single unexpected expense like a car repair, medical bill, reduction in work hours, or family emergency, can quickly push someone from being housed to living in their vehicle, staying with friends, or sleeping outside.
Many of the individuals Tracy Community Connections Center (TCCC) works with are actively employed or seeking employment. Some work in retail, restaurants, warehouses, construction, healthcare support, or other essential industries. Yet despite earning a paycheck, they may still face barriers such as security deposits, past evictions, transportation challenges, childcare costs, or a shortage of affordable housing options. Employment alone does not always guarantee housing stability.
This is why TCCC’s services focus on more than just emergency assistance. Through case management, housing navigation, rental assistance referrals, street outreach, and connections to community resources, our team works to help people address the challenges that can make it difficult to maintain housing even while employed. Sometimes a relatively small intervention at the right moment can prevent a family from losing their housing altogether.
The growing number of working individuals experiencing homelessness is a reminder that housing instability is often the result of complex economic pressures rather than personal failure. By supporting prevention efforts, housing resources, and community-based services, we can help more people remain housed and regain long-term stability.
