Mission Food Hub is a grassroots organization aimed at feeding hungry Hispanic families in San…read moreFrancisco's Mission District in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. After community surveys were administered it was determined that thousands of people in the Mission were struggling to put food on their tables, thus community leaders from organizations such as Carnaval San Francisco, Latino Task Force, Mission Economic & Cultural Association, Mission Language & Vocational School and others created the Mission Food Hub food pantry. The program accepts food donations from local businesses and monetary donations which are in turn used to purchase food for the pantry. Grocery items are geared towards a Hispanic diet, but the pantry is open to all families who need the food. I found out about Mission Food Hub through the Carnaval San Francisco page on Facebook, and since I hadn't returned to work yet I decided to volunteer on a Tuesday morning at their distribution center located at 701 Alabama Street in the Mission. Volunteers are accepted on a first come, first serve basis on distribution days which are currently Tuesdays and Saturdays. (As of 5-29-20 this has changed to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.) I was assigned first to monitor the lines outside which snake around several blocks in the neighborhood. Food distribution began at 12:00 noon, but on this day they decided to start early as word got around and there were lots of people lined up as early as 9:00 AM. I later was given the task of helping to register families. Food recipients are asked to provide their name, address, telephone number and number of persons in their household. The data is used to survey the community on what their current needs are. For the Taco Tuesday which I helped at each food recipient received a full produce box filled with full bags of apples, oranges, carrots, potatoes, onions, and romaine lettuce hearts. In addition there was a shopping bag containing a 10 pound bag of frozen raw chicken, bags of rice, beans and tortillas. There is a 1 box, 1 bag limit for each person and if somebody is recognized as someone trying to acquire more than that they are asked to leave. In addition staff from UCSF and medical students from UC Davis were also volunteering helping to hand out free face masks and inform the public about free COVID-19 testing in San Francisco. The Mission District as a whole has some of the highest concentrations of positive COVID-19 cases in the City. For that Tuesday where I helped we distributed food to upwards of 1500 recipients. The program currently beginning its fifth week is continuing to evolve week by week ever changing as to what works and what doesn't work. The community leaders who have created this program have pledged to try to get 1 million dollars donated, and I've learned that they are currently about 1/5 of the way there. The decision makers for this program plan to keep it running for 6 months or however long it is needed. I plan to donate more of my time in volunteering. If you know of any San Francisco residents struggling to put food on their tables due to the current pandemic please inform them about Mission Food Hub. Anybody wishing to donate money can do so through the Carnaval website at http://www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org/. Updates on the food pantry itself including the updated hours are regularly updated on the Carnaval San Francisco Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CarnavalSanFrancisco.

Looking for a place to volunteer in SF? Look no further!…read more The Groceries for Seniors program delivers food to seniors in The City who would otherwise go hungry, most of whom live in the Western Addition and China Town. The program is run out of Old St. Mary's Church on California St. by an ex- Haight Ashbury Food Program volunteer, John Meehan. Good people, good cause. Check 'em out and get involved!

I volunteered here back when I lived in San Francisco. My volunteer position was the "Food…read moreWarehouse Person." My duties: - unload groceries from the van - sort and organize all the food - distribute them evenly into grocery bags - hand out the full grocery bags to the seniors waiting outside The volunteers met at 9am in front of the church, and already there was a line of elderly recipients waiting. It broke my heart to see so many hungry people. I know hunger is a major problem in the world, but we don't normally see it right in front of us. The group of volunteers were a diverse bunch and it was fun meeting and greeting them all. I'm definitely volunteering here again when I come back to San Francisco!

Awesome organization. Great platform with an awesome mission!read more

From the owner: Copia is using technology to end hunger -- the World's Dumbest Problem -- and reduce food waste…read more For the first time ever, we can effectively and safely donate prepared and highly perishable food to those who need it when they need it most. Our customers seamlessly access significant tax deductions (tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars in savings); robust waste tracking analytics within Copia's dashboard to reduce future waste; remove CO2 from the atmosphere, all while feeding the neediest in our community.

I was so heartbroken and discriminated . I stood in the line and I waited for my turn. They turned…read moreme away because I am handicap and I was on a mobility scooter. They said I needed to walk in there which made me feel so humiliated. I could not eat because I could not walk. They had tons of people around that could've supported and helped me get the food but instead they made me feel like I was unworthy. I will never go to this place again I felt like they were heartless.

1st time today 10.26.21: This is my 1st time here. I'm in…read moreline right now and cant wait to get inside to see how the food is given. I give them 5 stars just for donating their time and energy to help us people in need. Nowadays it's hard to find people that will sacrifice their time to help other people... without wanting anything in return. They just did the head count. People have big bags and rollaway carts. I have 2 medium size bags. They must give lots of food. Okay. Got to go. Ill give a 2nd review right after i walk out the gate.

their breakfast usually suck, but their lunches are top notch. Thank you for everything!read more

Likely best free Bay area breakfast oatmeal/grits…read more Likely best free Bay area macaroni and cheese. Though likely dependant of cook. You may complain garbage bins everywhere but, there is recycling and compost. IMPORTANT. Right outside, Farmer's Market.

Always great when you can make time to give back. Been…read morecoming here for about two years , but it's been several months since I last volunteered, so I had to come with my daughter. Came on a Monday morning and was immediately greeted and had to check in. Great cause with each box is able to feed a family of four which is always amazing. Packed boxes for rice, placed instructions on each pack on how to cook rice for the first hour and then transitioned to making boxes of green apples. Highly recommend if you have time please volunteer because your contribution does matter.

Its quite appalling despite the vast resources and wealth this nation and this area posses people…read moreand families still go hungry. This is where a non-profit like Second Harvest comes in. Having volunteered in the past, I had some free time and decided to put that to a good cause. This particular location is a food sorting the distribution center. The 5 days (2 hour shifts) I was there we sorted apples, carrots, pears, built boxes (I liked doing that), made vegetable boxes etc. Sorting the bad batch of zucchini was tough but very satisfying to see how much we were able to salvage. They have a great staff who are helpful and friendly and super organized. You sign up for shits online, you check in via text, get your badge and after a 5 minute safety lecture you wash up and sort. it is also nice to see local companies have organized groups there as well I would give them more stars if yelp would let me

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is truly one of the most impactful and well‑run organizations in…read moreour community. Every interaction I've had with them whether donating, volunteering, or simply learning more about their programs has left me inspired and grateful that such a dedicated team is working to fight hunger right here at home. What stands out most is their professionalism and compassion. The staff and volunteers treat every client with dignity, and you can feel how deeply they care about making sure families have access to healthy, nutritious food. Their operations are incredibly organized, and the scale at which they serve the community is nothing short of impressive. I also appreciate how transparent they are about where donations go and how efficiently they use their resources. It's rare to see an organization combine heart, innovation, and operational excellence so seamlessly. If you're considering supporting a local nonprofit, volunteering your time, or looking for a meaningful way to give back, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is an outstanding choice. They are making a real difference every single day.

I have incurable cancer. I have been through chemo and have lingering serious side effects so…read moregetting to a food pantry is hard not to mention. I don't have a car. I found Second Harvest Food Bank delivers food to the door. So I applied and they have been delivering to my door when they don't send lazy delivery drivers that leave my food outside my apartment building for everyone to get, or in the lobby or in the mail room to leave my food to rot. Even if I could go to the lobby or mail room, I can't lift my box and bring it up five floors. Not to mention, I don't get notification that the food box has even been delivered so I don't know if it's been delivered to the lobby, mail room, or left outside. I have called several times explaining I am not getting my food boxes, even though they send out another food box 5 days later, I shouldn't have to wait five extra days for food. Not to mention 7 out of 10 times I get my box it's loaded with rotten fruit and vegetables full of mold. To which by the way I am highly allergic to food mold. I have called. I have spoke to supervisors. I have spoken to several different people at Second Harvest Food Bank. They apologize. Which I appreciate, but that doesn't help me with my food. They said if you don't want to receive moldy fruit and vegetables come and pick up the box yourself. Nice I would if I could. I'm sure others with my health issues and my age would attest to the fact that we would do a lot of things if we were physically capable of doing it. So apologies fall on deaf ears because I still don't receive my food boxes when I should and like I said half the time the food is rotten full of mold. Shaking my head because I see the commercials and I see people donating to which I appreciate. I see people in their cars in line getting all this beautiful fresh fruit and vegetables not to mention holiday boxes to which I don't receive a holiday box I don't get anything to celebrate Easter, Thanksgiving no turkey, no Christmas box just beans and rice is what people who get their food delivered get along with moldy fruit and vegetables. I guess that is Second Harvest Food Bank's way of saying happy holidays. You don't get a holiday box you don't need to celebrate a holiday.

If you use the food pantry get there early as numbers go quickly. That said, the people that work…read morehere are friendly and helpful. They give a wide variety of food & are really organized. This a good place to go if you need food.

If you are a home owner in the Bay Area, you probably have a fruit tree, or two, on your property…read more And if you take care of these trees, they bestow you with an abundance of fruit - lemons, oranges, tangerines, mandarins, grapefruit, plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines, persimmons, figs, pomegranates - more than you can possible eat, make into pies, jams, or pickles, or give away to neighbors, family or friends. Often, no one wants your excess fruit, because they have plenty of their own, thank you! And then you're in a jam, or pickle (both puns intended) because the tree rats (aka squirrels) start attacking your fruit, or it rots on your tree or in your yard. But not in our home! Because we pick ALL our fruit, and donate the excess to TriValley Haven Food Pantry in Livermore! We walk in (they are currently at 150 North L Street), no appointment needed, and drop off the fruit, which gets donated to families in need. They'll even give you a donation receipt, handy for your tax return. You're welcome!