Community Access Center

Welcome to Community Access Center!

Empowering People With Disabilities Since 1995!

Proudly Servicing Riverside County.

We would like to thank our sponsor,
Office on Aging Riverside County

To learn more about their services Click Here

(Link redirects to another website)

office of aging logo

Welcome to Community Access Center (CAC) website.

The Community Access Center is a non-profit organization and one of 29 similar programs throughout the state of California. CAC is a community resource, advocate, and educator for Riverside County residents with disabilities.

Since its establishment, CAC has achieved community recognition and has substantially expanded its services. As a result of our efforts, a branch office opened in 1997 in Indio, with funding from the Department of Education, to serve the Coachella Valley region of Riverside County. To better serve the Coachella Valley region, CAC relocated its offices to Palm Desert in 2006. This was in response to the needs of residents in this rural area, especially the parents of children with disabilities who do not speak English. This office has had a large impact on that under-served region of the county.

a smiling face child on the wheelchair with a backpack
white man with shades typing on computer
a smiling face child on the wheelchair with a backpack

Important Covid-19 Notice

We are back to our normal business hours which are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, except for holiday’s that fall on a weekday.

For additional information regarding CAC and the COVID-19 call us at (951) 274-0358.

For more information on the COVID-19 pandemic click on this link: Stay home except for essential needs.

Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time. Faustino Alvarez, Executive Director

illustration of blue corona virus 3d corona virus

Comminity Access Center Services

Woman in wheelchair using computer
student in a wheelchair

Paying for college is a complicated process for any aspiring student. It’s a process that raises a ton of questions: What’s a Pell Grant? What’s a Perkins Loan? Do I have to pay anything back? For students with disabilities, those questions are even more complicated. The good news: a disability is not an impediment to a college education. There are plenty of resources for those who need help applying and paying for it.

This guide, designed to work with assistive technology, can help you find these resources. Aspiring students with disabilities can use our table of contents to find the best scholarships for them. At the bottom of the page, we also list some tips on how to get federal and private aid.

Our Mission

The mission of the Community Access Center is to empower people with disabilities to control their own lives, create an accessible community, and advocate for their complete social, economic, and political integration.

We implement this vision by providing information, supportive services, and independent living skills training.

The primary purpose of the Community Access Center is to empower consumers with disabilities by providing services and information to support them in making choices that will positively affect their independence.

CAC will accomplish this through a social-rehabilitation model. The Center serves all people with physical and mental disabilities regardless of race, ancestry, religion, age, marital status, sexual preference, gender, and/or income.

The Independent Living Program

Centers for Independent Living are community-based, cross-disability, non-profit organizations that are designed and operated by people with disabilities. CILs are unique in that they operate according to a strict philosophy of consumer control, wherein people with all types of disabilities directly govern and staff the organization.

The Centers for Independent Living provide:

America is home to:

Young man typing on computer

Make a Difference!

To sustain our work, the CAC needs your financial support. Let’s change the lives of and empower thousands of children and adults together. We thank you for your support.

Close Search Window