A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in San Luis Obispo, California distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.
There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.
Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.
Salvation Army Food Pantry
The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.
The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around San Luis Obispo, California from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.
We have located 4 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, California which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
The Salvation Army - SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA: Corps Community Center
Services provided :
- Casework Services
- Christian Education
- Disaster Services
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Men's Ministries
- Music & Arts Programs
- Seasonal Services
- Women's Ministries
- Worship Services - Children's / Teen
- Worship Services - Church
- Worship Services - Sunday School
- Worship Services - Young Adult
- Worship Services - Youth Ministries
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 544-2401 to book your appointment.
Address :
815 Islay St,
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
Get Directions
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- San Luis Obispo
The Salvation Army - Atascadero, CA: Atascadero Service Unit
Services provided :
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Seasonal Services
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 466-7201 to book your appointment.
Address :
8420 El Camino Real, UNIT G<BR/> ATASCADERO,
Atascadero, CA 93422.
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- San Luis Obispo
The Salvation Army - Paso Robles, CA: Paso Robles Service Unit
Services provided :
- Disaster Services
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Emergency Shelter
- Seasonal Services
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 238-9591 to book your appointment.
Address :
711 Paso Robles St,
Paso Robles, CA 93446.
Get Directions
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- San Luis Obispo
The Salvation Army - Arroyo Grande, CA: Arroyo Grande Service Unit
Services provided :
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Food & Nutrition Programs
- Seasonal Services
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 481-0278 to book your appointment.
Address :
1550 W Branch St,
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.
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- San Luis Obispo
Church Food Pantry
A number of churches around San Luis Obispo, California have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.
Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.
Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.
We have located 3 Church Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, California which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
El Morro Church of the Nazarene - King's Cupboard
The King's Cupboard Food Distribution Program Held at El Morro Church of the Nazarene 1480 Santa Ysabel, Bldg A Los Osos, CA 93402. The purpose of this program is to provide groceries to supplement residents of Los Osos, Morro Bay and Cayucos who are in need. This is not a USDA Commodities program and is open to anyone who finds him/herself in need of a little extra help. Food Distribution time: The first four Tuesdays of each month, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 528-0391 to book your appointment.
Address :
1480 Santa Ysabel Bldg A,
Los Osos, CA 93402.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Los Osos
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
Five Cities Vineyard Church Food Pantry
The Food Pantry is available to anyone in temporary need for groceries, we also appreciate any donations to help stock our food pantry. We are also here to pray with you and for you. OPEN: Fridays 1 to 3pm
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 474-9984 to book your appointment.
Address :
330 Stanton St,
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.
Get Directions
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- Arroyo Grande
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- San Luis Obispo
Refuge Church - Soup Kitchen Ministry
The Soup Kitchen Ministry consists of a Hot Meal,Gospel Message, and Food Pantry to provide immediate assistance to those in need. It is one of many benevolent arms that Refuge Church is engaged in to help those in our fellowship, the homeless, indigent and those who find themselves in the throws of the economic crisis. All of this is made possible through the donations of the congregation in their service to our Lord Jesus Christ. We Supply: The Gospel Message, Hot Meal, Food Pantry, Children's Clothing (As Available), Prayer Support, Homeless Gear (As Available). Every Tuesday Night: Must Sign in Between 5:30pm-6pm
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 466-3354 to book your appointment.
Address :
6955 Portola Rd,
Atascadero, CA 93422.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Atascadero
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- San Luis Obispo
Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.
Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.
Catholic Charities in San Luis Obispo, California are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.
The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.
First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.
We have located 0 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, California which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around San Luis Obispo, California almost entirely by volunteers.
It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.
Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.
We have located 0 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, California which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Mobile Food Pantry
The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around San Luis Obispo, California in need during large-scale one-day distributions.
A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.
Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.
Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024
Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.
Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.
We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around San Luis Obispo, California much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.
It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.
We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, California which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Food Pantry Delivery Program
Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around San Luis Obispo, California area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.
Food Pantry
We have located 8 Food Pantry locations in San Luis Obispo, California which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
God's Storehouse Food Pantry at Grace SLO
God's Storehouse is a Food Pantry overseen by the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County. It currently serves about 100 needy families every Saturday here in SLO . In the past it has been managed by Mary Baum, who just turned 89 years old and has attended SLO Naz here in town, for about 30 years. Understandibly, Mary was looking to step down...and God brought this community ministry possibility before us as an opportunity to love and serve the needy in our community...not merely with food, but with the love & Gospel of Jesus. Tim Arlen was very involved with God’s Storehouse for years and shared with Pastors Tim and Ken about the possibility of taking over the ministry. Pastor Ken, along with Tim Arlen, began looking into it and became more and more excited to see God’s hand at work, in leading us to manage God’s Storehouse. As our ministry staff spent time talking and praying, they too became excited, but felt a key to moving forward was to share with our body to see if some would step forward to help lead this ministry here at GraceSLO. A few months ago, Pastor Ken shared this ministry opportunity on a Sunday morning. The response was very positive, as was our body's willingness to serve and step foward to lead it. We then presented a proposal to our Elders, and then following their approval, to our Finance and Facility Trustees. All of these leadership teams gave approval to continue moving forward. We then set up our God’s Storehouse Management Team who has been, and will keep, working very hard.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 543-2358 to book your appointment.
Address :
1350 Osos St,
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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- San Luis Obispo
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- San Luis Obispo
The People's Kitchen of San Luis Obispo
People's Kitchen is a group of volunteers who serve hot, nutritious meals at 12:00 NOON each day at the Prado Day Center. Our goal is to feed homeless individuals with special needs (e.g., with a disability), the working poor and seniors with a limited income. Currently, there appears to be a need to plan for at least 110 meals each time. If less than that comes, seconds are served.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 544-8047 to book your appointment.
Address :
43 Prado Rd,
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
Get Directions
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- San Luis Obispo
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- San Luis Obispo
Los Osos Christian Fellowship - Bread of Life Ministry
Our pastor leads a leadership team for the Bread of Life ministry made up of Nancy Whitney, Elizabeth Mitchell & Ray Ruddell. A number of other volunteers serve with our leadership team to prepare and mobilize for food distributions every Thursday from 4:00 – 5:20. This distribution is open to the community. Our foods come from a variety of sources. We welcome both monetary and food donations for this important ministry to an ever increasing segment of our population that are struggling to see their basic needs met.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 528-2140 to book your appointment.
Address :
1335 7th St,
Los Osos, CA 93402.
Get Directions
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- Los Osos
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
St. Patrick's Food Pantry
St. Patrick's Food Pantry is open from 4:00 - 5:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The pantry provides food for those in need living in the Five Cities and Nipomo areas.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 489-2680 to book your appointment.
Address :
501 Fair Oaks Ave,
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Arroyo Grande
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
Atascadero Loaves and Fishes
Atascadero Loaves and Fishes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides food free of charge for over 25 years to those in need in Atascadero, Templeton, Santa Margarita, Creston, and California Valley. We pride ourselves on being an all-volunteer agency: 100% of your donation goes to allowing us to provide food and other life-sustaining support to our clients. With your help and the assistance of local service agencies like United Way we can all make a difference in our community.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 461-1504 to book your appointment.
Address :
5411 El,
Camino Real Atascadero, CA 93422.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Camino Real Atascadero
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
CVC Food Ministry
2nd and 4th Thursdays 11am-2pm
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 927-5550 to book your appointment.
Address :
1617 Main St,
Cambria, CA 93428.
Get Directions
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- Cambria
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
Rock Harbor Christian Fellowship - Open Arms Pantry
Open Arms Pantry is our ministry that provides food for the hungry in our community. Working in conjunction with the county Food Bank, Open Arms Pantry provides food and personal care items to those in need every Saturday from 10:00 am till 12 noon, and throughout the week on a walk-in basis. Every week, we serve well over 100 local families - something we can only do by the grace of God and the generosity of our volunteers!
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 772-7365 to book your appointment.
Address :
1475 Quintana Rd,
Morro Bay, CA 93442.
Get Directions
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Help Residents of Cities:
- Morro Bay
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
Loaves & Fishes - Paso Robles
Loaves & Fishes is a cooperative ministry of churches, organizations, and individuals in the Paso Robles area responding to the emergency needs of persons seeking help. Loaves & Fishes is a Christian ministry treating every person with the dignity of being created and loved by God.This ministry provides emergency food and other services for transients, homeless and residents in crisis. We also serve as a clearinghouse, referring clients to churches and other appropriate agencies where they might receive the help they need.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (805) 238-4742 to book your appointment.
Address :
2650 Spring St,
Paso Robles, CA 93446.
Get Directions
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- Paso Robles
Help Residents of Counties:
- San Luis Obispo
Drive-thru Food Pantries
Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.
Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?
Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.
Only two piece of information is asked
- You Zipcode, and
- Number of people in their family.
You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.
How do drive-thru pantries actually work?
There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:
Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.
Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.
Checkin.
You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.
Food is loaded into the cars.
Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.
Pet Food Pantry
One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.
The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in San Luis Obispo, California
Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry
Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:
- All ages, races and marital status
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Retired, living on social security or other limited income
- Physically or mentally disabled
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry
Show up early.
This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.
You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.
Remember all documentation.
Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.
This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.
It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.
Use several food banks.
Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.
For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.
Eligible for other programs?
Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.
They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
Ask about extras.
If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.
Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.
Go on different days of the week.
Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.
Be polite to workers.
Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.
FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?
Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.
2. What kind of food is at a food pantry?
Specifically, food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. Who can go to food pantry?
At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.
4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?
A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.
5. How does a food pantry work?
Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.