These Places Will Give You a Thanksgiving Meal if You Can’t Afford One

A spotlight on community resources for those who are struggling to feed themselves

Hunger sucks. Food is hella expensive, and the statistics are damning. It’s not just homeless people experiencing hunger. A whopping 42% of college students in SF are food insecure. And of the households with one or more kids under 17, 30% are unsure of where their next meal will come from. 

Before you jump into solution mode, remember that brighter minds than ours are already putting forth policy suggestions, working their asses off at soup kitchens, and advocating for the changes we need. 

How Do We Fix Hunger

Solutions include making it easier so that people don’t have to go to multiple locations to get their food; restoring local budget cuts to food programs; and increasing current food providers’ ability to store and distribute. If you don’t have enough freezer space or money to pay an electric bill how the hell are you going to manage a turkey giveaway? 

And most importantly, The City needs to address root causes of food insecurity, like how expensive childcare is, how hard it is to find and keep a good job, and how scary it is to face potential evictions without politicians willing to protect things like rent control and tenants’ rights. 

Food is hella expensive and with tariffs and weirdos in the federal government, who knows how reliable things like the FDA will be moving forward? 

Without further ado, here are some resources if you’re unsure of where your Thanksgiving meal will come from.

Turkey Giveaways

First, there are turkey giveaways. If you need someone to say it, we will. You don’t have to go “all out” and cook a turkey, especially if you can’t afford it or it’s going to cost you more energy than you have to spare. But if it’s a tradition you can’t let go, don’t fear! There are a few places where you can get a free turkey in the Bay Area. Don’t forget, no matter where you get your turkey, that you need to thaw it a day or two in advance. 

• Friday, November 22 there is a free turkey giveaway in Daly City. 
• Saturday, November 23, there is a free walkup turkey giveaway at Lowell High in San Francisco.
• Saturday, November 23 there is a free turkey giveaway in Oakland.
• Tuesday, November 26 there is a turkey giveaway in Richmond. Not the district!
• Canceled: The Black Panther Party and Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation’s turkey giveaway has been canceled. 

Free Meals

Can’t cook but still want a meal? If you live in an SRO with no space, or you don’t want to be alone for this meal, or even if you just don’t have the energy to cook, you can head to:

• Glide Memorial. This is a stalwart of the TL. 
• Mother Brown’s Dining Room, sometimes called Mother Brown’s Kitchen, at 2111 Jennings Street in the Bayview will provide free food. Call 415-671-1100 to find out the details.
• St. Anthony’s Dining Room. This is another long standing meal. 
• Tenderloin Tessie. Every year they do a nice Thanksgiving Dinner.
• Free Thanksgiving Dinner in Oakland.
• The City Eats will host a potluck style giveback at 164 6th Street in San Francisco. 

Other Ways To Help

If you have a neighbor living alone, invite them to your meal or drop off some leftovers for them. Got a friend who canceled their holiday travel? Sometimes our pride gets in the way of accepting help, so tell them to drop by with a pie or some wine. And remember that all of these resources need volunteer time and money to keep the community fed.