Free Eats in Oakland

Food Helpline: 1-800-870-FOOD, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control." The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25, Part 1

There are lots of resources for food in Oakland. There are also many options forfree food in Berkeley and in San Francisco.

List of Options

• California Association Of Food Banks     510-272-4435
• Alameda County Community Food Bank, Oakland Army Base
• The Alameda County Community Food Bank, Inc 510-635-3663
• Antioch Baptist Church, 1004 14th Street, 94606, 510-452, 3028
• Brookins African Methodist Episcopal Church
  Breakfast, Groceries and Food Giveaway Programs: Serves breakfast to low-income residents of Oakland on certain Saturdays. Offers food giveaways on specific days. Also provides limited food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  Church address - 2201 - 73rd Avenue, 94605 510-568-8954
• Central American Refugee Committee 
  4848 International Blvd
  Oakland, 94601
• Children's Food Basket   510-534-6362
• City Slickers Farms, 737 Henry Street, 94607, 510-763-4241
• CityTeam Ministries - Family Services
  722 Washington Street, 94607
  510-452-3758. Call for center hours.
• CityTeam Ministries Rescue Mission-Meals and Clothing: Provides hot breakfast and dinner to men, women and children. Call for days and times. 722 Washington Street. 94607, 510-452-3758
• Covenant House  200 Harrison Street, 94607
• East Oakland Food Pantry/Project Outreach/Canaan Baptist Church, 6629 Bancroft Avenue, 94605, 510-532-4474.
• East Oakland Switchboard, 1909 - 73rd Avenue, 94621, 510-569-6369
  Provides food to those who qualify, with referral from Social Services Agency. Call for dates, times and requirements.
• Elizabeth House 

  T: 510.658.1380

• Elmhurst Presbyterian, 1332 98th Ave, 94603, 510-568-7861.

• Elmhurst Food Pantry, 9437 International Blvd, 94603, 510-632-4357.

• Feed My Sheep, 8825 Macarthur Blvd, 94605, 510-384-8604. Every third Saturday of each month from 12:00-2:00 nutritional bag lunches food boxes, and women, men, children clothes are distribued. Thanksgiving & Christmas, dinner is served. Call aor e-mail ahead in reference to the special dinners.

• Food Not Bombs- Serving free hot meals -- Until the food runs out, so please come early!

• Locations:  Where to eat, or just come to the meal to eat and help serve, and stay to help wash dishes:

  [Thursday]
  the Recycling Center Park at 34th and Peralta
  West Oakland 1:30pm or so

  [Sunday]
  corner of 14th St. & Jefferson
  in front of the Sutter Hotel
  downtown Oakland 3pm or so

  Some of this info is subject to change, so please contact us, or ask at the meal, for updates.  Phone: 510.644.4187 or 510.540.0751

• Greater Gospel Church, 6241 San Pablo, 94608, 510-281-7700

• Harbor House Ministries
  1811 - 11th Avenue
  Oakland, CA 94606
  510-534-0165
  Provides emergency food and clothing, English as a Second Language classes, and after-school and summer programs for youth. 
• Lake Merritt United Methodist Church 1330 Lakeshore Avenue, (510) 465 - 4793. Are you in need of food assistance? The Food Pantry distributes food the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month,10am - 12:30pm. You can find the food distribution on the Lakeshore side of the church building, at the bottom of the stairs.
• Martin Luther King Baptist Church, 3003 School Street, 94602. 510-532-8111.
• Mary Ann Wright Foundation
  Non-profit foundation address is 3120 San Pablo Avenue. Stop by or call the number below.
  Oakland, CA 94608 
  510-601-8119
• Mount Zion Baptist Church
  Community Food Giveaway
  1203 Willow Street
  Oakland, CA 94607
  510-893-2932
  Food giveaway provided at specific times.

• New Beginning International Ministry - 5609 Foothill Blvd, 94605. 510-985-0541. Hot meals served every first Saturday of the month from 12:00pm until 2:00pm.

• O.I.S.C. 580 18th Street, 94612. 510-281-7700.
• Oakland Leaf Foundation
  Urban Promise Academy Family Resource Center (UPA FRC)
  3031 E. 18th Street
  Oakland, CA 94601
  510-879-1642
• Project Open Hand - East Bay
  HIV / AIDS patients can apply for emergency services, including food.
  1921 San Pablo Avenue
  Oakland, CA 94612
  Call the program at 510-622-0221
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County – SVdP
  A Free Dining Room is run on site that can serve hot or cold meals to the homeless and low income.
  675 - 23rd Street
  Oakland, CA 94612-1162
  Main number - 510-451-7676
• St. Elizabeth's Parish - Bread and Roses
  Provides food, nutritional perishables items, meals, and other aid.
  Location 1500 - 34th Avenue
  Oakland, CA 94601
  510-536-1266
• St. Mary's Center - Food for All Ages
  925 Brockhurst Street
  Oakland, California 94608
  510-923-9600
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church, in collaboration with the Episcopal Senior Resources and the Alameda Country Community Food Bank - Pantry of Hope. Provides food and some household goods (paper towel/toilet paper). For more information, call: Rev. Carolyn Bolton at
  (510) 834-4314 x 504.
  114 Montecito Avenue
  Oakland, CA 94610
  (near Lake Merritt)
• Telegraph Community Center – Can refer individuals to other charities and non-profits in Oakland California. In addition, get information on a number of federal and state government assistance programs. 

  We distribute food every Wednesday from 11am to 4pm and Friday from 10am to 2pm, except holidays.

  Location - 5316 Telegraph Avenue
  Oakland, California 94609
  Address - 510-658-4457
• Town Center at Acorn, 1143 10th Street, 94606. 510-452-3028.
• Unity Outreach Church, 9941 D Street, 94603, 510-652-0789.
• West Oakland Food Pantry, 920 Peralta Street, 94607
• Wings of Love Church, 7007 MacArthur Blvd, 94605, 510-532-4474.

Other resources

Check out this free eats zine (pdf) put together by a Food Not Bombs volunteer.

Additionally, Oakland libraries providedfree lunches all summer long in 2013 (the history of this program is amazing). It seems highly likely that they'll have it again in 2014. Here's the list of participating libraries:

PS - Ever seen the Free Eats Chart in San Francisco? What about the Free Pantry Chart? We need that here!