Getting food and assistance from Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services in Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) is the central hub of Sacramento County's food network. It also helps residents enroll in CalFresh, pick up free diapers, get monthly groceries for older adults, and find low-cost immigration legal help. This page walks you through each program the organization runs and how to reach it.
- NOTE: If you need food right now, the first thing to know is that SFBFS no longer hands out groceries from its own building. It supplies a county-wide network of more than 100 neighborhood pantries and distribution sites, and you find the one nearest you.
Free food and how to find a distribution in your area
SFBFS supplies more than 200 distribution sites across Sacramento County by partnering with local pantries, churches, and community centers. To find a site close to home, use the Food Finder tool on the organization's website at https://www.sacramentofoodbank.org/find-food, which lists locations, days, and times by neighborhood. Anyone who feels they need food qualifies. There is no income paperwork to pick up groceries at the network's pantries, and all residents are welcome.
At a distribution you may receive fresh produce, dairy, bread, grains, and other groceries, with the exact mix depending on what is available that week. Sites are run by different partner organizations, so hours and pickup steps vary from one location to the next, and it helps to call ahead to confirm when a site is open and what to bring. If a location does not serve your area or runs low, the Food Finder will point you to other nearby pantries.
Help signing up for CalFresh, California's food stamp program
CalFresh is California's version of SNAP, the federal program once known as food stamps, and it adds money to a card each month that you may use to buy groceries. Many people who qualify never apply because the process feels complicated or they worry it could affect their immigration status. SFBFS has a CalFresh Outreach team that may check whether you are eligible, help you complete the application, and guide you through the steps if you get stuck.
You may reach the team by calling (916) 779-0052, emailing [email protected], texting the word food to 74544, or filling out the request form on their website. The application itself is submitted through BenefitsCal, California's online benefits system.
Two points the team often explains are worth knowing here. Applying for or receiving CalFresh is not treated as a public charge, so it will not count against you if you later apply to become a U.S. citizen. Parents who are undocumented and do not qualify themselves may still apply on behalf of children who are legal residents. Once you are approved, benefits load onto an EBT card that works like a debit card at most grocery and convenience stores and many farmers' markets.
Monthly groceries for seniors 60 and older
Through a program called Food for Seniors, SFBFS provides older adults with a monthly box of shelf-stable groceries supplied by the USDA. It is open to Sacramento County residents who are at least 60 years old and meet the program's income guidelines, which staff will go over with you when you sign up. To enroll, you visit one of the public distribution sites in person, complete a short application, and bring proof of your identity, age, and address.
Distributions take place at senior centers, churches, and food lockers in communities across the county, including Arden-Arcade, Elk Grove, Galt, Midtown, Natomas, North Highlands, Orangevale, Rancho Cordova, and South Sacramento. If you are unable to get to a site yourself, the program lets you name someone to pick up your box using a short proxy form. The contact section at the end of this page explains how to ask which distribution is closest to you or see the Sacramento directory of food banks and pantries on this site
Free diapers for families with young children
Diapers are a constant expense, and they cannot be bought with CalFresh or most other benefits, which adds a cost that many families struggle to cover. SFBFS serves as the official Diaper Bank for Sacramento County and belongs to the National Diaper Bank Network. It provides free diapers to families through dozens of partner agencies rather than from its own warehouse. A list of public diaper distribution locations is posted on the organization's website, and calling the main office may help you find the site that is most convenient for you.
Low-cost immigration legal help
SFBFS runs a low-cost immigration legal services program staffed by a managing attorney and several representatives accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice. The team may assist eligible people with a wide range of applications, including green-card renewals and replacements, work authorization, naturalization and citizenship, family petitions, adjustment of status, DACA renewals, U visas, VAWA self-petitions, Temporary Protected Status, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. It also represents children in immigration court.
There are limits to what the program handles. It does not represent adults in immigration court, and it does not take asylum cases or student, visitor, religious, or employment-based visas, or consular processing. Consultations are not scheduled in person. To request one, complete the form on their website or call (916) 313-7604 and leave a voicemail with your name, number, and the type of help you need, since calls without a voicemail cannot be returned. Other questions may be sent to [email protected].
One safety note worth keeping in mind: if someone who is not a licensed attorney or an accredited representative offers to handle your immigration paperwork for a fee, be cautious, as notario fraud is common and a legitimate provider will hold the proper credentials.
Utility bill help through SMUD EnergyHELP
SFBFS works with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) on a program called EnergyHELP, which may provide funds to keep the power on for customers at risk of having their electricity disconnected. The important thing to understand is that you cannot apply for this help through SFBFS, and the food bank cannot add you to it. SMUD chooses the customers who receive EnergyHELP, and the food bank's role is limited to distributing the funds. If you are behind on a SMUD bill, contact SMUD directly and ask about its financial assistance options or find other options on our page about how to get help with a SMUD bill.
About Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, and what has changed
Father Daniel Madigan started Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services in 1976 in the basement of his Oak Park church after watching neighbors, including children, go hungry. It has since grown into one of the largest providers of basic needs in Sacramento County and, since 2014, has served as the county's regional food bank. SFBFS is an independent nonprofit and a member of the Feeding America network.
It helps to know that the organization's focus has narrowed over the years. SFBFS once ran a walk-in clothing closet, adult education and GED classes, a youth program, and a community garden, and older listings around the web may still mention them. Those programs are no longer part of its current services.
If you are looking for free clothing, classes, or similar help, it is worth calling the office to confirm what is available now or turning to other pantries and assistance programs in Sacramento County, since this page covers one organization rather than every resource in the area.
How to reach Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
The organization's administrative office is at 1951 Bell Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95838, and the main phone number is (916) 456-1980. Keep in mind that this address is not a walk-in food pantry. To pick up groceries, use the Food Finder tool to locate a distribution site near you, or call the main number and ask staff to point you to the closest one.
Full details on every program above, including the current location lists, are kept on the organization's website at https://www.sacramentofoodbank.org/. This page is here to help you understand what SFBFS offers and how to take the first step, and the organization's own site is the best place to confirm hours and current details before you go.
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