Struggling families in California can turn to a local food bank for free groceries, boxes of healthy food and even hot meals. Many of the pantries that are listed below work with local charities, churches, and non-profits, including Feeding America. The various food banks and information on local pantries in CA and pantries are listed below, with links to more locations and phone numbers listed.

Many of the distribution centers also have free drive thru food pantries and giveaway pet food, including for dogs or cats. The locations will also normally be able to help people apply for other government programs such as USDA Summer meals, WIC and they also tend to offer SNAP food stamps (CalFresh), Meals on Wheels and other benefit programs. A major focus is on ensuring children, seniors, migrant farm workers, and single mothers in CA have food for their family.

While what is given out by each food bank will vary, many provide fresh produce, dairy products, baby formula in addition to shelf stable groceries. There are also fresh fruits and vegetables Each year free food, meals, and hygiene supplies are distributed to millions of people across California.

Free food banks and free groceries in your local CA county

Find information, using a link below, on food banks as well as free food pantries that operate in your local town, city, and county. You will find details on local pantries, soup kitchens and programs that are more specific to your California location by city and county. Or scroll down the page to get a more extensive list.

San Bernardino County

San Diego County

San Francisco County

San Joaquin County

San Luis Obispo County

Shasta and Tehama County

Oxnard CA

Yolo County

Regional free food bank distribution centers in California

In addition to the organizations below, the California Association of Food Banks is a non-profit that works with churches, local Hunger Prevention networks and charities across California. They have a free to use statewide “Find Food” website https://www.cafoodbanks.org/find-food/ that can be queried for local pantries and meal sites. The tool will help people find free canned groceries, fresh fruits, rice, breads, and more.

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano covers a wide range, as noted below. There are various programs offered by this Feeding America location. They include Kids’ Backpack program as well as Mobile Pantries. There are also hundreds of local partner food pantries, churches and charities that help the poor, unemployed, and hungry. A major focus is on feeding children and the elderly in the region who live in/or near poverty. Or even find free pet food pantries in California. The main address is 4010 Nelson Ave, Concord, CA 94520. Main phone number is 925.676.7543.

A second location of the Feeding America non-profit is in Concord, and that number is 925-676-7543. The address is 4010 Nelson Ave, Concord, CA 94520. Or try the food bank at 2370 N Watney Way, Fairfield, CA 94533. Phone number is 707-421-9777.

There are many counties supported by the Contra Costa and Solano Feeding America location. Find free food, applications to CalFresh food stamps, Meals on Wheels and more. The programs are offered in the counties of Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Napa, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba. Since the territory is so large, there are other resource and distribution centers too. they include:

Community Action of Napa Valley Food Bank, 1766 Industrial Way, Napa, CA 94558. Dial 707.253.6128
Dignity Health Connected is another affiliate. The address is 200 Mercy Oaks Drive, Redding, CA 96003. Dial 530.226.3071
Yuba-Sutter Food Bank provides free groceries, CalFresh applications and workshops (among other programs). The location is 760 Stafford Way, Yuba City, CA 95991. For referrals, dial 530.673.3834. Emergency food boxes, formula, vegetables, rice, and other food supplies are passed out.
Yolo Food Bank is at 233 Harter Avenue, Woodland, CA 95776. Phone number is 530.668.0609. Some of what may be served includes baby formula, household and basic needs such as diapers, free groceries, fruits, and perishable items. Donate or volunteer at the free pantry if you can.
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services address is 3333 Third Ave., Sacramento, CA 95817. Call 916.456.1980
Lassen County Council on Aging is at 1700 Sunkist Dr, Susanville, CA 96130. Individuals over the age of 55, and their spouses, can turn to the aging office. Several recreation programs and food services are available as well, including Meals on Wheels and holiday food baskets. Or get information on medical care and other aid. Phone: (916) 259-3266
Butte County has other food assistance programs, including from Community Action Agency of Butte County at 2640 5th Ave #1, Oroville, CA 95965. This center supports the low income and working poor. Ask about applications for food stamps, Cal-Fresh, or get referrals to soup kitchens and pantries. Senior citizens can inquire into regional Meals on Wheels programs too. Call (530) 712-2600 for hours.

Central California Food Bank assists residents in the counties of Fresno, Madera, Kings, Kern and Tulare. Get Nutrition Education, fresh produce including fruits or vegetables, referrals to emergency food pantries or soup kitchens and more. They also arrange shopping and cooking classes to help people live healthier. The location is 4010 E. Amendola Ave., Fresno, CA 93725. For intake, dial 559.237.3663

Community Action Partnership of Kern is another partner of Feeding America. It is at 5005 Business Park North, Bakersfield, CA 93309. For information on resources, call 661.398.4520
A dedicated Madera County Food Bank is at 225 S Pine St Ste 101, Madera, CA 93637. Phone - 559-674-1482. A leading social service organization for the region. Free Christmas meals and gifts may be offered for children. Easter and Thanksgiving food baskets, a pantry, and more is available as well. Occasional funding or vouchers for bills or items like school supplies may be provided too.
Foodlink for Tulare County is also part of Feeding America. Location is 611 2nd St, Exeter, CA 93221. Call 559-651-3663. Hot meals, lunches, breakfast and more may be served. Or get a box of groceries. All supplies are limited and come with income and other restrictions. They will try not to turn anyone away.

FIND Food Bank is the Feeding America location for Riverside and San Bernardino County. Call for referrals to everything from Meals on Wheels to fresh food, canned groceries, and the Kids’ Backpack program. There is also Food Stamp Outreach, meals and food for immigrant or migrant workers and other items. The address is 83775 Citrus Ave, Indio, CA 92202. Call 760.775.3663

If more convenient, another partner agency is Imperial Valley Food Bank, which is located at 486 W Aten Road, Imperial, CA 92251. Dial 760.370.0966.
San Bernardino County residents can turn to Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County. Location is 696 S Tippecanoe Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Main phone number - 909-723-1500
Not only has information on food pantries, but it may be able to coordinate financial assistance and other forms of aid for the needy.
Or try Feeding America Riverside as well as San Bernardino Counties. Many similar services are offered, and the main address is 2950 - A Jefferson Street, Riverside, CA 92504. Call 951.359.4757. Tens of thousands of Inland Empire California families receive help from this location every year. It distributes food, meats, canned goods, and government commodities. Also learn about holidays meals, and get information on public assistance like CalFresh.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County runs a wide variety of hunger prevention programs. Get groceries, holiday meals, referrals to pantries and apply for Health and Nutrition workshops. There is also Summer Feeding Program for kids and information/applications to surplus USDA commodities from 8014 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618. Call 949.653.2900.

Community Action Partnership of Orange County is a major food distribution center. The location is 11870 Monarch St, Garden Grove, CA 92841. Call 714-897-6670. They administer several social services and can provide referrals and other support. There is food and meals for migrants too.

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank helps hundreds of thousands of LA county families per year. They work to end hunger and partner with pantries, soup kitchens and feeding sites. They try to feed people of all ages, races, genders, and ethnicities in the county. Learn about Commodity Supplemental Food Program or get help shopping to learn about Unit Pricing. Get meals for the unemployed, homeless, and working poor as well. For information on partners, the locations is 1734 E. 41st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90058. Call 323.234.3030. You can get help from other California non-profits or free grcoery or food programs

Long Beach CA is supported by the Food Bank of Southern California / LA region. Address is 1444 San Francisco Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813. Works with other pantries, charities, and churches in southern California. Hot meals, free boxes of food, and other support is provided. Some basic needs such as household goods could be met. The two LA County food banks above may serve more people than any other food bank in the nation. Call them for hours of food distribution, and get lists and phone numbers of local pantries. Call the non-profit at 562-435-3577

Second Harvest of the Greater Valley has many partner locations (see below). Whether referrals to a free food bank or pantry near you, or applications to Summer Food Service Program or CalFresh, short and long term help is offered. A major focus is also on feeing migrant farm workers.

There is also a Pet Pantry, shelf-stable food, and snacks or healthy food for children. They help students in low-income areas of the counties served to ensure they have nutritious meals during long school vacations. The non-profit supports Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne County. The main location is 1220 Vanderbilt Cir, Manteca, CA 95337. Call 209.239.2091. Or try the following.

Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA) - 10059 Victoria Way, Jamestown, CA 95642. For intake, dial 209.984.3960
Merced County Food Bank serves tens of thousands per year, with churches and charities. The address is 2000 W Olive Ave, Merced, CA 95348. Dial 209.726.3663
The Resource Connection Food Bank address is 206 George Reed Drive, San Andreas, CA 95249. Phone - 209.754.3114
Interfaith Food Bank & Thrift Store Amador County has food as well as basic needs from 12181 Airport Road, Jackson, CA 95642. The number is 209.267.9006

Kings County Feeding America partner is the Kings County Community Action Organization. The non-profit wrks with a number of local churches and non-profits. Programs are focused on immigrants and Hispanics too. Call the center for free food or vouchers. Can also refer people to other local social service agencies in California, or clothing closets. Location is 1130 N 11th Ave, Hanford, CA 93230. Call 559-582-4386

Alameda County Community Food Bank helps the low income in Oakland and the county. The main center is at 7900 Edgewater Drive, Oakland, CA 94621. Call 510.635.3663. The work with mobile pantries that may offer breads, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, and non-perishable foods. Or get free nutrition education, job programs such as culinary training and other benefits.

Food Share of Ventura County works with hundreds of local partners to keep families in poverty, single moms, immigrants and others. For referrals or intake, the location is 4156 Southbank Road, Oxnard, CA 93036. Call 805.983.7100. The location works with local pantries. Breads, rice, frozen foods, hot meals, and emergency boxes of food may all be served to the low income.

Free food banks in CA Feeding San Diego assists residents of Imperial and San Diego County. There is a Food and Resource Center as well as Veterans Outreach & Distribution. They feed the low income, homeless, and poor in the region. Or get help applying to Social Services or Kids’ Backpack program, or learn about the USDA WIC program for low-income parents and less costly groceries - as it is possible to receive food at as much as 50% off or other cheap groceries. The location is 9477 Waples Street, San Diego, CA 92121. Call 858.452.3663

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Food Bank is for both San Francisco and Marin County. Whether Mobile Farm Markets in the city, or soup kitchens for the homeless, volunteers and partners work to feed the community. The staff also help the low-income apply for public assistance. The systems help adults apply for assistance programs for education, health, housing, transportation, emergency services, Meals on Wheels, CalFresh and others. The location is 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107. Call 415.282.1900.

Placer Food Bank has a number of assistance programs. They include, but are not limited too, food assistance, cooking classes, details on healthy shopping, nutrition education, health management, and more. In addition, they have in their network dozens of local, emergency food pantries. The groups work to end Hunger in El Dorado, Nevada and Placer Counties. The address is 8284 Industrial Ave, Roseville, CA 95678. Phone 916.783.0481.

Food Bank of Nevada County is just for those residents and based at 310 Railroad Ave, Grass Valley, CA 95945. Main phone number - 530-272-3796. The non-profit can help people apply for government aid and other support. Some of what may be offered includes Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, food boxes, groceries, and perishable food items.

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County as well as San Luis Obispo has a couple sites. Programs include a School Pantry, Culinary Training Program, Fresh Produce, Senior Box Program (CSFP) and many others. Tens of thousands of children in the region are food insecure, and the agency tries to help feed them, the families and others in need. The two locations are:

4554 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Call 805.967.5741
SLO Food Bank is another option at 1180 Kendall Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. Phone - 805.238.4664. Snacks for students and children, specialty meals for seniors, formula, and more may be served. The center can refer residents to emergency food assistance programs in the region as well. from the organization.

Food Bank for Monterey County is just for the county. But they have dozens/hundreds of local distribution sites. They also work with corporations, volunteers, and stores to help (1) collect food or money and (2) provide the items for free to struggling families, including migrant farm workers. The main site is at 815 W. Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901. Call 831.758.1523.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is at 750 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125. Call 408.266.8866. With the cost of housing so high, many lower income residents struggle to buy yhr food and groceries they need. Feeding America, and their partners, work to help the struggling in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Call for information. Or learn more on information on Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo.

Redwood Empire Food Bank not only gives away food (through it local partners) but they arrange for other services. There may be bi-monthly Healthy Cooking demonstrations as well as classes. Or apply to workshops on healthy, affordable shopping. Or get help in applying for California benefits such as CalFresh or cash aid. The main site is at 3990 Brickway Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Call 707.523.7900.

The network assists the counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma. To this end, other partner agencies include Mendocino Food & Nutrition Program (address is 910 N Franklin Street, Ft. Bragg, CA 95437, dial 707.964.9404) as well as Food For People at 307 West 14th Street, Eureka, CA 95501. Call 707.445.3166

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County location is 800 Ohlone Parkway, Watsonville, CA 95076. Dial 831.722.7110. Look for free food, groceries or meals in San Benito and Santa Cruz County. Get referrals to pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and dinner meals for children and families. Or learn about housing, free baby food, and the locations of mobile pantries. Another partner is Community Food Bank of San Benito County, 1133 San Felipe Road, Hollister, CA 95023. Call 831.637.0340.

Food Bank of Northern Nevada is for both Inyo and Mono County. There are mobile pantries and some local partners that offer Meals on wheels for the homebound. Or get referrals to backpacks filled with nutritious food as well as snacks to children from low-income or working poor families, and the food helps keep them fed on the weekends. There are also food stamp (Cal Fresh) applications and other benefits. Address is 550 Italy Dr, Sparks, NV 89437. Call 775.331.3663.

Food Bank of El Dorado County is at 4550 Business Dr, Cameron Park, CA 95682. The non-profit food distribution center works with charities, churches, and pantries. Call them for referrals and information on other local and regional resources. Telephone - 530-621-9950

The statewide California Feeding America is another main site to use to find free local food banks and soup litchens. If you are not having any success with the California food banks listed above, or need information on other pantries near you, individuals and families who need further support can try this site. There is also a wide variety of hunger support from Feeding America in CA, and they can offer more information or locations from the website: https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/california.

In addition to all the food assistance programs and organizations above, if you want to get tips, find other places for food or a meal and read real experiences of struggling people in California, we have a free to use forum. You can find other programs and resources there. Use this for the forum discussing places for free food in CA, as other options can be listed.

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