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Pantry is No Longer Accepting Funds, but Will Accept Food and Bags Until late January

Berkeley Food Pantry to Cease Operations after January 31, 2026

We are sad to share the news that the Berkeley Food Pantry’s last day of distributing groceries at the Berkeley Friends Church is January 30, 2026. It has been our privilege to serve the Berkeley and Albany communities for more than 50 years, and we regret that we are unable to continue. More information is available here.

So, at this time, the Food Pantry is no longer accepting cash donations, stock donations, planned giving, or gifts of vehicles.

If anyone would like to donate food or bags, please mail a check or bring the bags to the Pantry itself.

For your reference, the Food Pantry continues to operate under the 501(c)(3) status of the Berkeley Friends Church (EIN 94-6003752), and your past donations will continue to be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Donate Food

We accept one-time food donations of packaged foods as long as they are not expired, damaged, or opened. We love donations of produce and fruit from home gardens and yards. Please bring your donations to the Berkeley Food Pantry at the Friends Church at 1600 Sacramento Street, Berkeley, CA (at the corner of Cedar and Sacramento Street) between 9:30 am- 12 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We have a donation table set up in our parking lot for donations to be left. You can access our parking lot from Sacramento Street. If you have further questions, please email director@berkeleyfoodpantry.org.

We encourage neighbors who are interested in donating food to join the Berkeley Neighborhood Food Project. Rather than making a one-time only donation of food, the BNFP provides an easy way for you to become an on-going food donor. Participants are given a BNFP bag and encouraged to fill it with extra food items purchased for the Berkeley Food Pantry each time they shop. On the second Saturday of every even-numbered month, a BNFP Neighborhood Coordinator will pick up your bag of food donations and deliver them to the pantry. Please go to this Berkeley Food Project Sign Up form to learn more about the project and how you can join.

If you are interested in organizing a food drive please email us at director@berkeleyfoodpantry.org to make arrangements for us to receive your donation. Upon request, we will provide a receipt for tax purposes. We request the following popular foods and kitchen favorites often requested by those we serve:

  • Canned meats such as tuna and chicken, low-sodium and low-fat.

  • Peanut butter

  • Shelf-stable tofu

  • Low sugar breakfast cereal

  • Canned soups, low-sodium

  • Brown or white rice

  • Pasta and pasta sauce

  • Shelf-stable non-dairy milk such as soy, almond, and oat

  • Healthy snack foods for kids, such as low-sugar nutrition bars and dried fruit

  • Energy or snack bars for unhoused visitors.

  • Cooking oil

  • Ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, and mayonnaise

  • Seasoning such as salt, pepper, herbs, spices, and garlic

  • Boxes of teabags

  • Ground coffee

Other Donations

Children's Books

We currently provide children's books to households who request them. We welcome donations of new or lightly used children's books for all ages. We accept donations of children's books between 9:30 a.m. -12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. For more information, please email director@berkeleyfoodpantry.org.

Toiletries

We currently provide toiletries to households and unhoused individuals who request them. We welcome donations of toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, bath soap, deodorant, and shampoo. We accept donations of toiletries between 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. For more information, please email director@berkeleyfoodpantry.org.