St. Stephen's CARE Center serves people who need food assistance. Catholic Charities runs this pantry to help those facing food insecurity and to provide emergency assistance to the community.
Bring a valid photo ID and proof of residence when you visit for the first time.
This is a first-come, first-served pantry with limited spots available each day. Lines often start forming around 7am, well before the gate opens at 9am. Plan to spend about two hours total for your visit, as registration and paperwork take roughly 30 minutes on their own. Try to arrive early in the day, as the pantry may stop taking new clients before it officially closes.
The pantry provides canned goods, dry goods, dairy products, meat, bread and pastries, and fresh organic produce from the on-site St. Phocas Garden. Diapers are also available for clients.
St. Stephen's runs as a client-choice pantry, so you get to pick out your own groceries just like at a grocery store and check out for free. This gives every visitor the dignity of choosing food that works for their family.
The pantry also helps clients beyond groceries. For utility bill or rental assistance, call (210) 226-6178 to schedule an appointment with a case manager. During summer months, free box fans are available for clients age 60 and older through Project Cool. Catholic Charities also runs a Mobile Food Pantry for community outreach. Call (210) 226-6178 for schedule and location details.
The on-site Clothes Closet is free for clients to use. You can choose up to 25 clothing items per visit.
Food donations of canned and dry goods can be dropped off at 2127 S. Zarzamora St., Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Download the list of most-needed items to shop for what's needed most. You can also shop online and have items shipped directly to Catholic Charities through their Amazon Wish List.
Monetary donations can be made at the Catholic Charities donate page. Car donations are also accepted through the car donation program. For questions, call (210) 226-6178 or email info@ccaosa.org.
To volunteer, start by visiting Virtus to complete a criminal background check and three required online training modules. Once those are done, create a profile on GivePulse and complete the volunteer application for Catholic Charities of San Antonio (use zip code 78207 to search). When you're done, contact Volunteer Services at (210) 222-1294 or volunteerdepartment@ccaosa.org.
See something missing or wrong?
Suggest an updateThe Bread of Life Food Pantry at Last Chance Ministries is open to the community. Anyone who needs food is welcome to come. Bring a photo ID with you.
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The Senior Mobile Pantry is for low-income seniors age 60 and older across San Antonio and Bexar County. All Gonzaba Foundation programs are free for seniors. If you're a senior facing food insecurity
Guadalupe Community Center is open to anyone in the San Antonio community who needs help. Run by Catholic Charities, the center's motto is "Serving All" and it welcomes everyone in need of a hand-up,
The food distribution program at St. Henry Catholic Church is run through the parish's St. Vincent de Paul Society. To learn about current services and eligibility, call the society at (210) 212-5530.