Any student may sometimes have difficulty accessing a sufficient quantity of nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.

Food Access

Urgent Help

Student Financial Aid Emergency Loans

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Emergency Food Program

  • Provides a three-day supply of food for people in crisis
  • Visit sfmfoodbank.org/find-food or call 2-1-1 for locations
  • Service available to all San Francisco residents (with ID) one time in a 12-month period

Food Pantries and Free Meals

  • Get a current list of free food pantries and free meals offered around San Francisco at freeprintshop.org.
  • Father's House (Pomeroy Center, 269 Herbst Road, San Francisco) - Thursdays 5-6 p.m. Bring Photo ID with proof of SF residency (address on ID or piece of mail with current residential address).

Ongoing Assistance

Student Food Market at UCSF

Every Thursday, the Student Food Market offers a variety of fresh produce and other healthy staples, free of charge, to any current UCSF student. You must register in advance to use this program. Locations at Mission Bay and Parnassus. 

CalFresh Program

  • Government-funded food assistance program that issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods at many markets and food stores
  • Some students are eligible to receive up to $194 per month in benefits
  • See the CalFresh Student Guide for application instructions and eligibility details
  • The online application takes only about 10 minutes to complete
  • If you have questions regarding eligibility or assistance with Federal Work Study verification documents, please contact Student Financial Aid

Food 4 UCSF Students App

  • Sign up to receive an alert on your cell phone when there is free food available after catered events on campus
  • If you have a food allergy or dietary restrictions, please be cautious when using this service - food may not always be labeled, and providers cannot guarantee the absence of any common allergens in the food offered
  •  If you are a UCSF event organizer, please be encouraged to register as a food provider.

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank

  • The Food Bank not only provides emergency assistance, as described above, but also weekly groceries and free food pantries in neighborhoods around San Francisco and the Bay Area
  • To access these programs, call 2-1-1 or use the online food locator
  • Anyone who feels they need it will qualify for assistance from the Food Bank, and most of its programs require participants to provide only very basic information
  • Service available to all San Francisco residents (with ID)

Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS)

  • Provides students with health care and wellness services, including nutrition services and workshops
  • Find recipes and meal plans that will help you eat well on a budget
  • Visit the SHCS website for resources, to make an appointment, or to see hours and locations