This is a list of Food Resources around the Bay Area that don’t require screening, showing ID, or otherwise have a barrier to services. We have done our best to compile an up to date list of community-led resources. If you find any of these locations to be permanently closed or moved, or would like to add another location to the list, please email us at bawscomms@gmail.com with the subject “Food Resources”.
Where possible, we have included website or social media links to associated accounts that monitor and facilitate these spaces.
Groceries, Freedges, & Pantries:
Below is a list of grocery distributions, food pantries/closets, and freedges throughout the Bay Area.
Pioneered in Davis, CA, Freedges (free refrigerators) are a great way for communities to practice mutual aid. These fridges are often on private property, stocked and maintained by community members, and have a small shelf-stable goods area like a pantry attached to them. Freedge.org has a comprehensive list of associated refrigerators as well as a map, and instructions on how to start a free access fridge in your community.
OAKLAND
( The social media hub for Freedges in oakland can be found on instagram @townfridge)
59th and Vallejo
28th and MLK (2727 MLK)
Helen and Peralta
10th and Mandela
6th Ave and East 11th St
10th and Oak
13th and Franklin
Fruitvale and E. 15th
W. Grand and San Pablo
E 27th and Fruitvale
Bartlett and Deering
76th and MacArthur
4799 Shattuck (maintained by Omni Commons)
410 13th Street (maintained by Moments Co-Op)
FREEdom store
A community-run free grocery store offering fresh produce, groceries, and other essentials like diapers.
7631 McArthur Blvd. Oakland, CA
Tuesdays 10am-3pm
San Francisco
3130 24th Street (@sfcommunityfridge)
415 Excelsior Ave (thetiny.org)
Booker T. Washington Service Center
Service to Soul is organized and staffed by seniors at the center and offers produce, bread, dry and canned goods to the community.
Wednesday: 10 AM - 12PM
Thursday: 12 PM - 1PM
Friday: 1 PM - 3PM
Free Farm Stand
Sundays Noon-1
Parque Ninos Unidos 23rd st & Treat Ave
Lyon-Martin Community Health Center
(lyon-martin.org, @savelyonmartin)
1735 Mission Street
Mondays: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Tuesdays: 8:30am – 7:00pm
Wednesdays: 10:30am – 7:00pm
Thursdays: 8:30am – 5:00pm
Fridays: 8:30am – 5:00pm
Prepared Meals available at this site during drop in Harm Reduction Service hours.
Tuesdays 5:30-7PM
Portrero Hill Family Resource center*
Food pantry with other essentials like diapers run by First 5, aimed towards families with children under 5 years of age. (More info on First5 Family Resources)
Monday 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Richmond District Neighborhood Center
Food pantry
Monday 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm
Thursday 2.30 pm - 4:00 pm
741 30th Avenue
West bay conference center food pantry
Thursday 12:30 PM
1290 Fillmore
Marin County (https://marincommunityfridges.info/)
San Rafael
620 Del Ganado Road
22 Frances Street
160 N. San Pedro
San Anselmo
72 Kensington Road
Mill Valley
215 Shoreline Hwy (Pantry Only)
Novato
967 5th Street (Pantry Only)
Prepared Meals
Below is a list of organizations and locations that distribute prepared meals for free. Service days are highlighted in bold.
Food Not Bombs (foodnotbombs.net)
Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer movement founded in 1980 that recovers food that would otherwise be discarded, and shares free vegan and vegetarian meals with the hungry in over 1,000 cities in 65 countries in protest to war, poverty, and destruction of the environment. They are not a charity but a mutual aid coalition dedicated to taking nonviolent direct action.
EAST BAY/ OAKLAND:
East Bay Food Not Bombs
(https://eastbayfoodnotbombs.org/)
Rain or shine, we serve hot food seven times a week in Oakland and Berkeley.
Monday – Sunday: People’s Park, Berkeley. 3pm.
Sundays: 14th and Jefferson, Oakland
Friday – Sunday note :
( In case of rain, we will serve outside of “Mad Monks” on Haste and Telegraph. )
Oakland Food Not Bombs
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 486 44th street Oakland, CA
UNDERSTORY
(UnderstoryOakland.com, @UnderstoryOakland)
A worker owned cafe in Oakland that has V & GF offerings and has a rotating sliding scale dish on offer for the community.
Thursday & Friday: Dinner 4-9p
Sat & Sun: Brunch 11a-3p
528 8th Street
San Francisco
Food Not Bombs:
(Facebook)
Wednesdays: 6:30 PM 16th and Mission BART Plaza
Fridays: 6:45 PM at 65 9th St. (between Mission and Market)
Fridays: 7PM Intersection of Hyde, Grove and Market Streets (by BART entrance).
Saturdays: 4:20 PM in Hemlock Alley (between Polk & Van Ness)
Lyon-Martin Community Health Center
(lyon-martin.org, @savelyonmartin)
1735 Mission Street
Prepared Meals available at this site during drop in Harm Reduction Service hours.
Tuesdays 5:30-7PM
This site also has a community fridge, for complete hours check listing in above section or on their website.
Martin de Porres House of Hospitality
Monday - Saturday: FREE Restaurant serving lunch 12-2pm
225 Portrero Avenue SF
Curry Without Worry (currently on Temporary Hiatus)
Tuesdays: Civic Center Plaza (next to the Simon Bolivar Statue)
https://www.currywithoutworry.org/
Glide
Monday - Friday: Breakfast 8-9 AM, Lunch 12- 1 PM, Dinner 4-5 PM
Saturday - Sunday: Bagged Lunch 12-1 PM
330 Ellis Street SF
PUNKS WITH LUNCH
Harm reduction supplies + Sack Lunches, follow local chapter for serving times!
Further Food Resources:
The above list does not reflect all available food resources in the area. We gleaned the above information through web searches, personal experience, and community input to find services that we felt would best serve our broader community’s needs. Below are more websites that have listings that include organizations that cater to specific communities, require registration or residency verification, are faith-based, city, county, and state run food banks, etc.
Alameda County Food Bank (includes a hotline, offers support in applying for CalFresh and other benefits)
FreeFood.Org has an expansive list of both grocery and hot meal distributions
Also of note, many California Certified Farmer’s Markets offer a matching program for benefits - if you receive food benefits they can offer vouchers to be used at the Farmer’s Market for a variety of fresh and prepared goods.
Legal and Educational resources for protecting consumers’ health. Can help if you’ve been made ill by food borne illness from packaged food or food prepared at restaurants.