Fridge no longer there at 44th and Telegraph...just came back from that locale. So do not bother to…read morewaste your time going there....YIKES!

Just updating my previous review. The fridge has since been replaced with a better one, so I'd…read moreraise my rating from 1 to 4.

If you've ever wished you could help the underserved economically underprivileged and homeless…read morepopulations of our cities by taking your perfectly good old clothes and putting them directly into the hands of someone in need without anyone reselling them for profit (goodwill) or pushing a religious agenda with a history of homophobia (salvation army), then this is it. I was just there and there was a line 30 deep of people who NEED assistance, and it was being given to them, free of charge, by these good folks. I will definitely be back with more donations and would encourage anyone to bring what they have to give here as well.

On August 1st, 2024, my uncle and aunt went to a food distribution site to collect food. Arriving…read moreearly, they placed a cart in line to hold their spot while they went elsewhere to get more food. When they returned, they found a woman had cut in line and was repeatedly pushing their cart aside. They tried to ignore her and resumed their place in line. However, the woman, for some unknown reason, seemed to think my uncle was in her way and shoved him with her hands, causing him to hit his head on a pot and fall to the ground, bleeding. He was unconscious by the time the ambulance arrived. We hope the food distribution site can identify this woman and help us seek justice. Please be cautious if you encounter her! The site itself is convenient, and the volunteers are wonderful, but some customers can be a problem.

I recently lost weight so I donated a full wardrobe and also gently worn and new shoes. I recommend…read moredonating your gently used clothes, shoes and any other items here rather then a Goodwill because they can be given to the people who need them for free rather then donating to an establishment that will resell them. Some people just don't have the funds to even buy from a thrift or second hand store so giving directly to the people who need it is best.

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.

Never had an issue when I bring clients here. Generally arriving about an hour after they open,…read morelines are always short and the system they have in place ensures fast movements. If you don't want to wait long hours I suggest not being there at open. There is enough food, it wont run out if you're there before it opens. The team is nice and helpful to first time clients as well.

If I could give this place 0 stars I would! Do not use this facility if you want to be treated with…read morebasic human decency. The Berkeley Food Network operates like a cold, corporate warehouse rather than a true community resource. I personally found myself in a situation where I have to use food banks, and the actual client experience on the ground at BFN is completely unusable. They force elderly, disabled, and vulnerable residents to stand outside in grueling lines for hours. I believe they train their volunteers in aggressive line management that is entirely inappropriate--a practice brought on solely by the failure of their own operations. Frontline staff enforce arbitrary, unwritten "verbal policies" to power-trip over people rather than showing basic compassion. I have officially reached out to the Alameda County Community Food Bank and have made them aware of the serious problems at BFN. I have also let friends and family members who are in a position to donate to the Alameda County Community Food Bank know exactly what I have experienced firsthand at BFN. This place is in direct violation of the equity standards required by public grants, and funding sources need to audit this organization immediately. I have now seen other places that do not have these problems, meaning I am forced to leave Berkeley and go to Emeryville just to get proper assistance. I am so grateful to First Presbyterian Church and the Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program (ECAP) for restoring my dignity and faith. I go to First Pres early for commodities, and the drive-through is incredibly well-run, orderly, and efficient. If I can get my place held in line as I like to choose what I need, I will gladly help out with the food bank operations at First Pres because they treat people like human beings. I also have to add that the church pantry on Sacramento Street was not working for me either--the mystery bags, the lack of being able to choose your own food, and the massive amount of carbs were way too stressful. Avoid BFN like the plague and stick to places like ECAP and First Pres that offer real choice and respect. What makes this even worse is that BFN has access to appointment-scheduling software that could eliminate these multi-hour wait times tomorrow. They deliberately refuse to turn it on because a long, miserable line wrapping around the block creates a visible crisis that looks good for fundraising and 'clicks for bucks.' They choose crowds and data metrics over the physical health of vulnerable citizens.

Came to the new Alameda Food Bank to join the pepper growing class hosted by the Alameda Backyard…read moreGrowers. The space is very nice, spacious. There were several types of peppers that community members were able to sample and the Backyard Growers also gave out lots of seeds that people could take home to plant. Nice class, let some new people and learned new info about how to grow peppers!

As of Summer 2025 For privacy, try to be respectful to…read moreeveryone But just to show how many people do need the Food Bank and do need help Donated before but after seeing that many people waiting for their turn, I needa do more Writing this review in hopes more people notice this place too and offer whatever they can for those in need

I'm interested in volunteering and will be getting in touch with this organization to help make a…read moredifference.

This is a great opportunity to give back to the community! Its nice to volunteer without having to…read moresign up for a long standing commitment. You definitely feel your efforts valued from those who need it.

I love being a member of Lake Merritt UMC. The church is a warm and welcoming group. It is really…read morea comfortable place to worship even if the view of Lake Merritt from the sanctuary can be a distraction on Sunday mornings! If you haven't seen the giant Tiffany mosaics in the sanctuary, then they alone are worth the trip. This is also a fabulous venue for events. Many groups rent the facility for a myriad of events. Lake Merritt UMC regularly hosts concerts, weddings, meeting, reunions, recitals, and family gatherings.

Great find in the East Bay for a church that cares about the community it is located in. Notably,…read morethe sanctuary is beautiful - featuring stunning Tiffany mosaics and a gorgeous view of the Lake. The children and youth programming are good and I am hopeful that this service can grow with the congregation. The Sunday morning service is pleasantly short, the music good, and the preaching thought provoking and relevant to everyday life. Bonus: fellowship time after the service is a great time to meet folks & relax with a really nice spread of snacks and surprisingly good coffee made to order ala your neighborhood cafe. Check out this great church community - welcoming, relevant, community-service minded, and a much needed spiritual respite from the work-week.

Food insecurity is scary, but Berkeley Food Pantry is a balm. I've visited a few times when I was…read moreunemployed or between paychecks. The staff are efficient, friendly, & treat everyone with respect. You get 4 bags of groceries, including fresh bread, seasonal produce, a meat or fish, and shelf-stable milk, as well as pantry staples, like beans rice, & pasta. The staff will check you in quickly and take the groceries to your car. A lifesaver!

I went with a friend who is going through some hard times. They give everyone 4 bags of food, and…read morethere are a lot of good things in those bags: fresh bread, eggs and fruit - not just rice, beans and canned goods. Highly recommended if you are having trouble stretching your food budget. You need to live in Berkeley or Albany, otherwise no questions asked. Everyone working there was extremely nice as well.

Very much appreciated the people are angels straight from Heaven so thankful they really go out…read morethey way!

I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Solano Food Bank via Kaiser Permanente…read more First let me say, WOW! What an operation. Upon driving up you can't help but notice that their building is HUGE! It's as big as a Costco! Tons of trailers were docked getting filled up by the many volunteers. They even had a Amazon trailer at the loading/unloading dock. There were approximately 30+ volunteers. We all gathered at the picnic tables inside the warehouse. Coffee, Tea, and snacks were provided - nice touch. We all worked together to load many boxes of food that were sent on a rolling conveyor belt with volunteers all along it. I was a team of 2 that stacked the boxes on multiple pallets before a forklift driver whisked them away. It was so awesome to be apart of. If you ever have a chance to volunteer please do so.

I am new here in Oakland from Mississippi. St. Mary's Center took me in. I'm now residing in one of…read morethe transitional houses. It is a very nice and clean environment. You get to meet new people who are experiencing the same hardships as you. You all have something in common and all get to work towards a common goal of permanent housing. The case workers are very nice and helpful. They have been trained with professionalism to be able to help each client that they are assigned. They treat everyone like someone and is very concerned about your well being in every area of your life. These are angels on earth. I am so glad that St. Mary's Center gave me another chance at life. Get involved. You will not regret it. Love is shown to seniors here every day. Thank you St. Mary's Center for being there for me as a 56 year old and needing housing. I will forever be grateful to you for your service.

From the owner: Seniors and Preschoolers come to us for housing and early childhood education. They count on us, we…read morecount on you. Please consider donating today.