Feeding San Diego Hosting Over 30 Summer Meal and Food Distribution Sites Across the County for Kids Facing Hunger
The hunger-relief non-profit is partnering with libraries, recreation centers, and schools to operate the sites
A new study released last month from Feeding America, the national organization of which Feeding San Diego is a partner food bank, revealed that just over 100,000 kids in San Diego County are experiencing food insecurity. With high inflation and cost of living here in San Diego County, many families are having to make impossible choices between essentials like food, utilities, gas, and healthcare. During the summer months, kids lose access to nutritious meals provided at school as part of the Universal School Meals program. This creates an urgent need for food resources for families who rely on school meals to feed their children.
Feeding San Diego, the county’s leading hunger-relief and food rescue non-profit, is supporting youth and families in need of food assistance this summer by partnering with libraries, recreation centers, and schools to host meal and food distribution sites across the county.
“Providing nourishment to kids during the summer months is absolutely vital to good health. The latest study from Feeding America confirms that there are too many children in our county—more than 100,000—who need our support to get access to nutritious meals. Our summer meal program will help support local families by providing much needed meals to those children.” said Bob Kamensky, Feeding San Diego’s CEO. “It takes strong partnerships with community organizations to secure key gathering sites like our county libraries and recreation centers to be able to deliver the nutritious food where the local kids can receive the meals.”
The following sites are offering free food to families during the summer months to help ease the cost of providing meals for kids during the summer months. The full list of summer meal sites can be found here.
Summer Food Service Program Meal Sites
Meals come in boxes containing one week’s worth of prepared meals (e.g., five breakfasts and five lunches) to be consumed onsite or taken home. Parents or guardians can pick up meals without their kids present. Meals are served on a first-come basis.
| Site Name & Address | Meals Offered | Meal Service Days | Pickup Times | Time Frame |
| Armed Services YMCA 3293 Santo Road San Diego, CA 92124 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Mondays | 7 to 10 a.m. | 6/10/24 – 08/09/24 |
| Julian Elementary 1704 Cape Horn St. Julian, CA 92036 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Mondays | 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. | 6/10/24 – 7/12/24 |
| Mesa Grande Indian Housing Authority 27000 Black Canyon Road Warner Springs, CA 92086 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Monday through Friday |
12 to 1 p.m. |
6/10/24 – 08/09/24 |
| San Diego County Library – Jacumba Branch Jacumba Community Park 44605 Old Hwy 80 Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Tuesdays | 12 to 7 p.m. | 6/11/24 – 8/20/24 |
| Warner Springs Resource Center 30950 California Highway 79 Warner Springs, CA 92086 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Tuesdays |
3 to 5 p.m. |
6/17/24 – 7/31/24 |
| Vista Library 700 Eucalyptus Ave. Vista, CA 92084 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Tuesdays | 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. | 6/17/24 – 8/31/24 |
| Valley Center Library 29200 Cole Grade Road Valley Center, CA 92082 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Tuesdays | 1 to 3 p.m. | 6/18/24 – 8/20/24 |
| Ramona Community Library 1275 Main St. Ramona, CA 92065 |
Pre-packaged Breakfast & Lunch | Thursdays | 12 to 1 p.m. | 7/8/24 – 8/8/24 |
Summer School Pantries
Select school pantries stay open through the summer months to continue supporting the community. School pantries provide various dry goods and fresh produce. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bags and method of transportation for the no-cost groceries.
| Site Name | Address | Distribution Days | Distribution Time | Time Frame |
| El Cajon Valley High School | 1035 E Madison Ave. El Cajon, CA 92021 |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays | 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. | 6/4/24 – 6/28/24 |
| Howard Gardner Community School | 647 E St. Chula Vista, CA 91910 |
1st and 3rd Tuesdays | 3:30 p.m. until food runs out | 6/6/24 until next school year |
| Pendleton Elementary | 6506 Solita Ave. San Diego, CA 92115 |
2nd and 4th Thursdays |
12 to 5 p.m. |
6/6/24 – 7/12/24 |
| Warner Elementary | 30951 CA-79 Warner Springs, CA 92086 |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays |
3 to 5 p.m. |
6/11/24 until next school year |
| Castle Park Middle School | 160 Quintard St. Chula Vista, CA 91911 |
2nd Wednesdays |
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. |
6/12/24 until next school year |
| NHA Head Start | 3770 Altadena Ave. San Diego, CA 92105 |
Wednesday 6/12/24 and Wednesday 8/21/24 |
1 to 3 p.m. | 6/12/24 and 8/21/24 |
| San Marcos Elementary | 1 Tiger Way San Marcos, CA 92069 |
2nd and 4th Wednesdays | 12 to 1:30 p.m. | 6/12/24 until next school year |
| Lincoln High School | 4950 Holly Dr. San Diego, CA 92113 |
2nd and 4th Fridays | 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. |
6/14/24 – 7/12/24 |
| Borrego Springs High School | 587 Palm Canyon Dr. Borrego Springs, CA 92004 |
1st and 3rd Tuesdays | 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
6/18/24 until next school year |
| Porter Elementary | 445 South 47th St. San Diego, CA 92113 |
1st and 3rd Wednesdays | 9 a.m. until food runs out | 6/19/24 until next school year |
| The Preuss School UCSD | 3750 Voigt Dr. La Jolla, CA 92037 |
2nd and 4th Fridays |
2 to 4 p.m. |
6/21/24 – 7/12/24 |
| Lexington Elementary |
1145 Redwood Ave. |
1st and 3rd Thursdays | 7 to 9 a.m. | 6/26/24 – 7/31/24 |
Summer Mobile Pantries
Feeding San Diego has partnered with the San Diego County Library system to host free food distributions at county libraries throughout the county during the summer months.
Summer mobile pantries provide various dry goods and fresh produce. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bags and wagons to carry the food, which includes pantry items and fresh produce.
| Site Name & Address | Type of Distribution | Distribution Days | Distribution Time | Time Frame |
| Poway Summer Pantry 13137 Poway Rd. Poway, CA 9206 |
Walk-Up | Wednesdays 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7 |
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. | June – August 2024 |
| Casa de Oro Summer Pantry 9805 Campo Rd. #180 Spring Valley, CA 91977 |
Walk-Up | 2nd and 4th Thursdays | 12:30 to 5 p.m. | June – August 2024 |
| Lakeside Summer Pantry 12428 Woodside Ave. Lakeside, CA 92040 |
Walk-Up | 4th Fridays | 1 to 2 p.m. | June – August 2024 |
| Borrego Springs Summer Pantry 2580 Country Club Road Borrego Springs, CA 92004 |
Walk-Up | Tuesday 6/18 Wednesdays 7/3, 7/17, 8/7, 8/21, 9/4, 9/18 |
12 to 1 p.m. | June – September 2024 |
| Spring Valley Summer Pantry 836 Kempton St. Spring Valley, CA 91977 |
Walk-Up | 2nd and 4th Thursdays | 1 to 2 p.m. | June 13 – August 8
|
Parks After Dark
Feeding San Diego has partnered with the the City of San Diego, Live Well San Diego, the San Diego Parks Foundation to provide no-cost groceries at their Parks After Dark events. Members of the community can attend Parks After Dark and enjoy music, entertainment, arts & crafts, and other activities, as well as access a variety of community resources.
Assorted dry goods and fresh produce will be available every Friday during the event. There are no Parks After Dark events on the week of the Fourth of July.
| Site Name | Address | Distribution Day | Distribution Time | Time Frame |
| City Heights Recreation Center | 4380 Landis St. San Diego, CA 92105 |
Fridays | 5 to 8 p.m. | June 20 – August 17, 2024 |
| Linda Vista Recreation Center | 7064 Levant St. San Diego, CA 92111 |
Fridays | 5 to 8 p.m. | June 20 – August 17, 2024 |
| Skyline Recreation Center | 8285 Skyline Dr. San Diego, CA 92114 |
Fridays | 5 to 8 p.m. | June 20 – August 17, 2024 |
| Memorial Recreation Center | 2902 Marcy Ave. San Diego, CA 92113 |
Fridays | 5 to 8 p.m. | June 20 – August 17, 2024 |
| Silver Wing Recreation Center | 3737 Arey Dr. San Diego, CA 92154 |
Fridays | 5 to 8 p.m. | June 20 – July 27, 2024 |
Additional Food Resources
In addition to its summer programming, Feeding San Diego provides no-cost food distributions throughout San Diego County year-round in partnership with other non-profits, faith-based, and community organizations. You can find other distributions near you on our Find Food Map. For additional resources, please call 2-1-1.
Those who would like to support the operation of these sites for San Diegans facing hunger can donate at feedingsandiego.org.
