Family Resources

Family Resources is a program of the City of Palo Alto and is an information clearinghouse for services, resources and programs available in our community. To disseminate this information, Family Resources uses a website, 85 informational, desktop kiosks located throughout the city (including every school in the district), and trained Ambassadors - people specially trained to have an in-depth understanding of the community's assets and how they can be used to meet needs of community members. This is the most comprehensive database of resources available, listing more than 600 services to meet the needs of local families. For more information or a map of all kiosk locations, visit the Family Resources website. Call 650-329-2221, if you wish to speak to a Resource Specialist or would like to volunteer to become an Ambassador. You may also stop by their office at 4000 Middlefield Road, Room T-2. For additional information, contact Sharon Murphy at 650-329-2280 or sharon.murphy@cityofpaloalto.org

Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC)

PACCC serves the needs of children as young as two months through fifth grade by providing comprehensive childcare within the framework of quality developmental standards. Three programs are offered: Infant/Toddler, Preschool, and School-Age. School-age programs are provided on the campus of each elementary school and are open most school holidays and PAUSD in-service days. PACCC administers subsidy programs for qualifying low-income families. Their main office is located at 3990 Ventura Court, Palo Alto. For more information, visit their website, or call 650-493-2361.

Mitchell Park Youth and Teen Center

Mitchell Park Youth and Teen Center is open to all teens in 6th-12th grade that live or go to school in Palo Alto. Membership is free but participants must register to become members. The center is supervised by trained City of Palo Alto recreation leaders. The “Drop” offers many recreation activities for teens including pool, dodge ball, ping pong, Nintendo Wii, and basketball, to name just a few. Students can also relax on comfortable furniture, listen to music or watch television, use their state of the art computers or get homework assistance in their homework lab. The center is located in the Mitchell Park Community Center at 3800 Middlefield Road, and is open Monday - Friday from 3-5:30 p.m., and Wednesday from 2-5:30 p.m. For additional information call 650-329-2192 or visit their website.

Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS)

Adolescent Counseling Services works to address the emotional and developmental needs of teens and their families during the challenging adolescent years. ACS serves Santa Clara and San Mateo counties through four programs. The On-Campus Counseling Program provides individual, family and group counseling at no cost to students and their families, including bi-lingual counseling, at Palo Alto secondary schools: Jordan, Terman & JLS Middle Schools, and Gunn & Paly High Schools. The Adolescent Counseling Program offers affordable out-patient assessment, treatment and education for teens and their families. The Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program provides professional assessment and intensive outpatient treatment to teens struggling with drug and/or alcohol abuse. ACS also provides Community Education for parents and teens, as well as business people, teachers and other community members, including issues specific to the Latino community. For more information, visit their website or contact ACS at 650-424-0852

Children's Health Council (CHC)

The Children's Health Council, an out-patient clinic, serves the developmental needs of children and families by providing the highest quality mental health, special education and developmental services for children and adolescents. CHC's unique team approach combines the expertise of specialists in child psychiatry, psychology, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, social work, special education and child development, to treat the whole child. The out-patient clinic provides information and referral services, and assessment and treatment services to children ages 0-18 and their families. The Esther B. Clark School, located at the CHC, is a therapeutic day school for elementary, middle and high schools students who have significant learning, emotional, behavioral and/or developmental challenges. CHC's Educational Services division provides parent education through workshops and the Parent Resource Center. For additional information, visit their website or contact them at 650-326-5530.

The Stanford Health Library

The Stanford Health Library at the Stanford Shopping Center is free and open to the public. Resources include an extensive collection of books, videos, medical journals, health letters, databases and periodicals. Many books and videos are available online. The scope ranges from basic to professional, technically-oriented information. The Stanford Health Library also boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of Chinese-language consumer health information in the country. Free research assistance and information packets on medical diagnoses and treatment are available. An ongoing series of community education talks on relevant health topics is offered, all presented by Stanford physicians and researchers. The Stanford Health Library is located at the Stanford Shopping Center, facing El Camino and beside Fleming's. They are open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday until 9 p.m. Visit them online at www.healthlibrary.stanford.edu. They may be contacted by phone at 650-725-8400, or email at healthlibrary@stanfordmed.org

YMCA of Silicon Valley

The YMCA of Silicon Valley operates many branch locations, including two in Palo Alto and one in East Palo Alto. The YMCA of Silicon Valley is committed to enriching kids, adults, families and the community through health, fitness and wellness programs, youth programs, camps, family programs, swimming, and a variety of activities for people of all ages, incomes and abilities. Anyone can join. Financial assistance may be available. For more information, see their website, or call 408-351-6400.

PTA Wardrobe

Sponsored by the PTA Council, the PTA Wardrobe maintains a variety of children and adult-sized clothing available, at no charge, to families in Palo Alto Unified School District. In addition, the wardrobe also offers a snow clothing rental service from a well-stocked selection of jackets, snow pants, boots, gloves and other related items in adult and children's sizes. The two-week rental fees are $15/child or $20/adult, for an entire outfit. Donations of clean, useable used and new clothing, as well as new socks and new underwear, are welcome during open hours. Donations are tax-deductable and receipts are available. The PTA Wardrobe is located in a portable behind a wooden fence at Jordan Middle School, 750 N. California Avenue; enter off of Middlefield Road and the wardrobe will be right in front of you. Open hours are Wednesday from 2 to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The PTA Wardrobe is closed on school holidays. You may call 650-858-0654 or email ptawardrobe@paloaltopta.org for additional information.