Free food, diapers, clothes, and other items for Fresno families
Fresno County has far more farm and hourly jobs than most places, and that kind of pay rises and falls with the season. A slow month between harvests, a cut in hours, or one big bill can leave a parent short on food, diapers, and other basics. This page is a guide to getting those things for free around Fresno and Clovis, from groceries and diapers to clothes, furniture, free clinics, and legal help. Much of this help is offered in Spanish, and some in Hmong.
Most of it runs on donations, so what is in stock changes from week to week, and a quick call before you go saves a wasted trip. The food banks and free giveaways help anyone in need, and they do not ask about immigration status. If you are behind on rent, bills, or in debt, the links to programs below can help you get free items so that money can be used to pay those costs - or see our Fresno County financial assistance program page for other resources.
Food is the most common type of help, and you can get it this week
Food is the easiest thing to get for free in Fresno, and you do not have to wait for it. The Central California Food Bank runs free distributions all over the county, and its website lets you type in your address to find the closest one and the next date at https://ccfoodbank.org/home/findfood/. If you work during the day and cannot stand in a line, ask about Groceries2Go on that same site, which sets up a grocery pickup or delivery. Catholic Charities on Fulton Street runs a food pantry too, and many smaller church pantries are on our Fresno County food pantry page. Pop-up and mobile food giveaways move around the area, so you can also sign up for alerts about local food distribution.
A food box helps for a few days. To get help every month, apply for CalFresh, which puts grocery money on a card you use like a debit card at the store. You apply on the state's website, BenefitsCal, at https://benefitscal.com, and the same application also covers cash aid for families (CalWORKs) and free or low-cost health coverage (Medi-Cal). If the form feels like a lot, the food bank has staff who help people sign up, in English, Spanish, and Hmong.
If you have babies or little kids
Diapers cost a lot, and neither CalFresh nor WIC pays for them. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fresno gives out free diapers for children under five, about once a month, at its Fulton Street office. Bring your ID, an ID for your child, proof of where you live, and proof of your income, and call ahead using the number on https://ccdof.org/our-services/diaper-program/ to check the day and hours. For formula and healthy food, WIC adds money to a card for pregnant women and kids under five, and you may qualify even if you work.
Child care is its own expense, and it can keep a single parent from taking a shift. Head Start offers free preschool for young children, and it often includes meals and dental and medical checkups, which lowers what you have to pay out of pocket. You can read who runs it and how to enroll on our Fresno Head Start page.
Clothes and school supplies for the kids
Kids grow out of clothes and shoes fast, and Fresno has clothing closets and thrift programs that give them out for free or close to it. Catholic Charities runs a clothing program and a thrift store, and more closets are on our Fresno County clothing, furniture, and school supply page. From about July through September, churches and community groups hold back-to-school events with free backpacks and supplies. Those run out quickly, so it helps to ask early.
Furniture and free things people give away
Furniture banks give out donated beds, tables, and other basics, usually for families moving into a place after a shelter stay or an emergency. They are listed on the same clothing and furniture page above. The quickest way to furnish a place in Fresno, though, is usually other people giving things away for free. A Buy Nothing group for your own neighborhood, joined through the app or on Facebook at https://buynothingproject.org, is full of couches, kids' items, and household goods. There is also a Fresno free-stuff group at https://trashnothing.com/fresno-free, and Craigslist keeps a free section at https://fresno.craigslist.org/search/zip.
- Be aware of fraud, scams and safety. These trades happen between strangers, so use common sense. Meet during the day in a public place when you can, and bring someone with you if you go to a home. No real giveaway asks you to pay a deposit or a delivery fee, so if someone does, it is a scam.
Holiday help at Thanksgiving and Christmas
In November and December, Toys for Tots, churches, and local charities sign families up for free toys, gifts, and holiday meals. The sign-up usually happens weeks ahead and spots fill up, so families who register early in the fall are the ones who get help. The programs and their deadlines are on our Fresno County holiday help page.
A doctor, a dentist, or a lawyer
You do not need insurance to see a doctor in Fresno. Clinica Sierra Vista was started years ago to care for farmworkers, and it now runs health centers across the county that charge based on your income, so an uninsured visit may cost very little. More clinics, including dental and mental health care, are on our Fresno County clinics page.
For a legal problem, Central California Legal Services helps low-income people for free with things like an eviction, a cut-off benefit, family violence, or immigration. Their advice line is (800) 675-8001, and you can apply at https://centralcallegal.org. They have offices in Fresno and in smaller towns like Mendota and Los Banos. More free lawyer options are on our California legal aid page. Catholic Charities also gives free immigration help, and it warns that anyone charging you a fee in its name is running a scam.
One last thing: watch out for scams
Real help is free, and that is the easiest way to spot a fake. A real food bank, diaper program, clinic, or charity will not charge you a fee, a deposit, or a gift card, and will never need your bank login or Social Security number to hand you food or diapers. Be careful with online ads that promise free government money or grants, which are usually after your personal information. If a place asks for payment before it gives you anything, walk away.
If you cannot find what you need on these pages, you can dial 211 from any phone in Fresno County to reach someone who keeps up with current programs, and they can help in Spanish too.
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