Food Services

(Click Here for a Map of Places in the Community Offering Free Food)

Community Drive-through Food Distribution Sites

• Alternating between the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz.

  • IDs are suggested but not needed. The only criteria is you need to live in Santa Cruz county. All information is confidential.

  • Call the Second Harvest Community Food Hotline for more details (831) 662-0991

• Food Distribution Schedule - Distribution & Nutrition Education Sites and Times

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Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes

• Address: 150 2nd St. Watsonville, CA 95076

• Hours: Open Monday-Friday

  • Food Pantry: 9-11:30 & 1-3 pm

  • Free Lunch to go: 12- 1 PM

• Note: You will receive food from the pantry based on the number of family members you have, you can get food up to twice a month during open hours) bring an ID and proof of other family members)

Food not Bombs

• Free meals, groceries, books, clothing and provides hand washing stations every weekday from 1- 6 and weekends from 4 to 6. Everyone is welcome. Please call 1-800-884-1136 for more information

USDA Food Resources

• USDA Food Distribution Locator Tool

• USDA National Hunger Hotline, which provides referrals for emergency food options M-F between 7am and 10pm at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479)

United Way- Santa Cruz County has updated food resources.

Santa Cruz County Farmers Market

• Note for all Markets: While the market itself is still open, measures are being taken to make sure people are practicing social distancing during this time.

• Watsonville

  • Address: 328 Union St, Watsonville, CA 95076

  • Time: Fridays 2-7 PM, year-round

  • Double your EBT with the CalFresh $20 Match: If you spend $20 of your EBT money, you will get $20 extra in coins to spend on fresh produce at the market

• Note for following Markets. Market Match: The Program offers farmers’ market customers with CalFresh (EBT/SNAP) cards a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10 dollars.

• Downtown Santa Cruz

  • Address: Cedar St & Lincoln St, Downtown Santa Cruz

  • Time: Wednesdays 1-5 PM, year-around

  • MARKET MATCH DOUBLE UP SPECIAL ongoing in 2020, until funds are exhausted. The DOUBLE MATCH program offers two Market Match tokens for every EBT token for the first ten dollars of EBT. Ten dollars of EBT becomes $30 at the farmers markets – $10 of EBT tokens and $20 in Market Match tokens.

• Westside

  • Address: Mission St. Ext. and Western Dr., Santa Cruz, CA

  • Time: Saturdays 9-1 PM, year-round

• Live Oak

  • Address: 15th & Eastcliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA

  • Time: Sunday 9-1 PM, year-round

• Scotts Valley

  • Address: King's Village Dr, Scotts Valley Community Center

  • Time: Saturdays 9-1 PM, (Season: June - third Saturday in Nov.)

• Felton

  • Address: 120 Russell Ave, Felton

  • Time: Tuesdays 1-5:30 PM (Season: First Tues. June THROUGH last Tues. Oct)

Grocery Stores

• Where to use EBT(faq) in Santa Cruz county

  • EBT is accepted at participating restaurants such as Subway, Togos, Domino's Pizza, Jamba Juice, Dairy Queen, Papa Murphy's, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Denny's, El Pollo Loco, KFC, Taco Bell, Carl's Jr.

  • English: CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program

    • CalFresh: Info Sheet

  • Español: El Programa de CalFresh Comidas de Restaurante

    • “Quién es elegible y ¿Dónde se acepta?

• List of Grocery Stores That Accept EBT Online for Delivery

• You could use your SNAP EBT to order groceries/food on Amazon.

  • Get Amazon Prime for just $5.99/month with an EBT or Medicaid card.

• Guide to EBT (Keeping track of all the EBT information out there can be overwhelming. So, we’ve broken down all the basics in one handy guide.)

APP: Fresh EBT - Food Stamp Balance (& more)

• WalMart will accept EBT cards for food and deliver (but doesn't pay delivery fee). Amazon and Walmart will start services on april 28th. Call for information.

Meals on Wheels Client Application

• For more information and to apply, go here

Grey Bears Weekly Bag of Groceries

• For more information and to apply, go here

More Resources for Senior Citizens