Transforming Lives - Building Community
Creating Change
Hunger and food insecurity are real issues in Oakland especially for extremely low-income seniors and families with young children.

On limited budgets, many choose between paying for heat, medications or food. St. Mary’s Center helps ensure that many have nutritious food providing groceries for families and seniors. The Center also provides a daily noon-time meal for seniors and breakfast, lunch and dinner for shelter guests.


Volunteers figure prominently as local churches, civic groups, schools and families help purchase, prepare, and serve homeless and low income seniors.


St. Marys provides:
  • Morning coffee and pastry each morning for seniors.
  • Hot meals for seniors six days a week.
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner for Shelter residents December – May.
  • Groceries for low-income seniors on Fridays and families three times a month.
  • Daily snacks for children enrolled in the Preschool Provides forty low-income families in the Downtown and West Oakland areas with up to three grocery bags per month.
  • Christmas baskets of food and gifts to 350 families with children.
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