The questions families ask me most — and the ones they hesitate to ask out loud.

Really free. No catch. We keep our services free by operating on volunteer support and pursuing grant and donor funding — we never charge the families we serve. If anyone ever tells you GFC asked them for money, they weren't from us. 

Yes — that's actually most of who we work with. Whether you're staring at a denial letter, waiting on a hearing date, or somewhere in between, we meet you where you are. 

No, we're not attorneys, and we don't represent families in hearings. What we do is help you understand your case, prepare your arguments, organize your documentation, and walk in as informed and confident as possible. If your situation actually needs an attorney, we'll tell you directly and help point you toward one. 

No — we work with families throughout California. The IHSS process is the same across counties, and we've built what we do around that. 

Yes. We don't need to be experts in your child's specific diagnosis to help — we need to help you present your child's actual needs in the way the system is built to hear them. What matters isn't the name of the condition. It's showing what your child needs day to day. 

You talk to me. I personally respond to every family who reaches out. There's no call center, no intake queue — when you send us a message, I'm the one who reads it. 

It depends on where you are in it. Understanding a denial and preparing a response usually takes weeks. An appeal and hearing can run longer — often 60 to 120 days — but the work starts the moment you reach out. 

Because I was the parent no one would help. Advocates told me a two-year-old's case wasn't worth their time. No family should have to choose between advocating for their child and paying a bill they can't afford. Free isn't a strategy for us — it's the reason we exist. 

Probably yes. And if we can't, we'll tell you fast and help point you toward someone who can. We'd rather send you somewhere that actually helps than string you along. 

Nothing. You don't need the paperwork in order, the timeline straight, or the right words ready. Show up however you are — we'll figure out the rest together.