Several church-run assistance programs operate in Oakland and throughout Alameda County, providing emergency aid—such as rent assistance, food, housing, and social services—to individuals and families in need. These programs are open to all community members, regardless of their religious background or beliefs.
Church Assistance Networks in Oakland California and Alameda County
Catholic Charities East Bay
Catholic Charities East Bay (CCEB) offers essential assistance programs focused on housing stability, immigration legal aid, and mental health services for residents of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Operating from its headquarters in Oakland, the organization designs programs to help families overcome immediate crises and achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
- Housing Services and Financial Assistance
CCEB manages homelessness prevention programs aimed at ensuring low-income families, seniors, and vulnerable individuals maintain safe housing.
Rental Assistance: Provides one-time financial aid to settle accumulated rent arrears and halt eviction proceedings.
Moving Assistance: Offers funds for security deposits and basic moving expenses, facilitating families’ transition into permanent housing.
Utility Assistance: Helps residents apply for utility payment subsidies and access local emergency resources, such as the REACH program or LIHEAP.
Season of Sharing: Serves as an intake and verification agency for Alameda County’s “Season of Sharing” network, facilitating access to vital, one-time emergency funds.
- Immigration Legal Services
CCEB employs a robust team that provides high-quality, affordable legal representation and administrative support to immigrants navigating the federal system. Services are provided in both English and Spanish.
Status Adjustments: Handling of Green Card renewals, family-based visa petitions, and naturalization or citizenship applications.
Victim Advocacy: Legal support for humanitarian visas, including U-visas for crime victims and VAWA protections for survivors of domestic violence.
Deportation Defense: Representation for individuals facing deportation proceedings or asylum claims.
DACA and TPS: Assistance with renewal processing for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
3. Mental Health and Well-being
CCEB provides culturally competent mental health care focused on family preservation and community healing.
Crisis intervention: Offers local therapeutic care—both individual and family-based—to individuals affected by community violence in the East Bay area.
School- and home-based counseling: Provides therapy directly in schools and homes to keep families facing difficulties together and prevent family separation or the placement of minors in the foster care system.
- Basic Needs & Crisis Safety Nets
Food and CalFresh: Provides direct food security through grocery store debit cards for low-income households, as well as assistance with applying for CalFresh benefits.
Diapers and family supplies: Partners with local parishes to operate mobile community clinics that distribute diapers, baby clothing, and packages of essential household hygiene items.
Call the central coordination line at (510) 768-3100.
St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County
St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County (SVdP) provides essential safety-net services, including emergency shelter, direct rent assistance, free hot meals, and intensive job training programs. Through a network of 800 volunteers across 37 local Catholic parishes (known as “Conferences”), they assist more than 100,000 residents each year.
Housing assistance and eviction prevention
SVdP works directly with families facing imminent displacement or homelessness.
Direct assistance from parish Conferences: Local “Vincentian” volunteers meet in person with neighbors to distribute emergency financial aid aimed at preventing evictions and covering overdue utility bills and medical expenses.
Limited rent assistance: Offers up to $1,000 in emergency rent assistance to eligible low-income families. Payments are made strictly on a case-by-case basis and are sent directly to the landlord.
Overnight emergency shelter: SVdP operates the largest emergency shelter in Alameda County, open 365 days a year. It operates 7 days a week, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., providing beds, dinner, and breakfast on a first-come, first-served basis. 2. Free meal programs and hygiene facilities
St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room
Located at 675 23rd Street in Oakland, the kitchen distributes up to 800 free hot meals for takeout daily, Tuesday through Saturday (lunch hours: 10:45 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.).
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Located at 2272 San Pablo Avenue, this direct service center offers a safe environment with access to laundry facilities, showers, hygiene kits, nursing assessments, and free haircuts.
Clothing Closet
Distributes seasonal clothing and basic wardrobe items free of charge to individuals experiencing homelessness or low income.
Workforce development and job training
SVdP utilizes paid social enterprises—including thrift stores in East Oakland, Fremont, and Livermore—to fund and sustain its employment programs.
Kitchen of Champions: A comprehensive, free 9-week culinary arts program for individuals facing significant employment barriers (such as low income or a history of reentry). It covers professional cooking skills, commercial-level food service, food handler certification, case management, and job placement support.
Champion Workforce: A transitional employment program offering paid on-the-job training within its thrift stores and electronics recycling centers to build professional skills.
Call the centralized helpline at (510) 638-7600. You will need to leave a message stating your name, your current city of residence, and the specific amount of money requested so that your case can be referred to your neighborhood parish conference.
The Salvation Army of Alameda County
The Salvation Army of Alameda County operates essential programs for shelter, utility assistance, and emergency food aid through community centers in Oakland, Hayward, and Newark. They focus on immediate crisis intervention and family support networks.
- Emergency housing and shelter for families
The Salvation Army provides stable, temporary environments for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Emergency Family Shelter
Located at the Fruitvale Corps campus in Oakland, this center operates 24/7 to provide immediate housing, meals, and case management services for stabilization. Access must be coordinated by calling 2-1-1 to complete an Alameda County formal housing assessment. Booth Memorial Child Development Center
This licensed center, operating Monday through Friday (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) at the Garden Street campus, provides high-quality, subsidized daycare services for infants and toddlers to assist parents who are seeking employment or are currently working.
- Food Security and Mobile Meals
Food boxes without prior registration: Families can pick up free food through the “Family Box” program on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at major community centers, including the Oakland Garden Center Corps.
Mobile Meals Program: A fleet distributes lunches daily (Monday through Friday) to individuals experiencing homelessness at six designated street-side locations in Alameda County, serving over 350 people per day.
Tri-Cities Food Pantries: For residents of Fremont, Newark, and Union City, emergency bags containing non-perishable food items are available by appointment on specific days of the week.
- Utility Bill Assistance (PG&E REACH)
The Salvation Army administers the REACH program (Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help) to prevent electricity and gas service disconnections.
Eligibility requirements: Applicants must have an overdue payment notice, must not live in subsidized housing, and household income cannot exceed 200% of the federal poverty level. Applicants must not have received REACH assistance within the last 18 months.
Screening lines:
Oakland and San Leandro residents: Call (510) 437-9437 (Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.). Hayward, San Lorenzo, and Castro Valley residents: Call (510) 581-6444 (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.).
- Addiction Recovery
Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC): Located at 601 Webster Street in Oakland, this program offers a free, long-term residential rehabilitation environment. It includes comprehensive counseling, housing, clothing, and work therapy for adults seeking recovery from substance abuse.
All Saints Episcopal Church
Located at 911 Dowling Blvd, this church runs direct programs to meet basic needs, focusing on community food security. It distributes fresh produce and non-perishable food once a month directly from its community center. It collaborates with local networks to provide free bagged lunches once a month to families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
Centerville Presbyterian Church
Located at 4360 Central Ave, this church hosts the Centerville Free Dining Room, an ecumenical outreach ministry serving residents of the Tri-City area. Access to hot showers is available every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sign-up lists open at the facility starting at 2:00 p.m.
Acts Full Gospel Church
Located at 1034 66th Ave, this prominent church leads highly structured social transformation ministries.
Men of Valor Academy: A notable residential reentry and transitional housing program—lasting 6 to 12 months—designed for formerly incarcerated individuals. It offers mindset development, financial literacy, computer courses, and active job placement assistance.
Health Fair and Gospel Music Festival: Organizes large-scale community events offering free health screenings, medical consultations, and resource distribution directly in East Oakland.
Red Cross Disaster Base: Serves as a designated center for community support and team deployment during regional emergencies.
Church-based HOPE VAN (Mobile Health Unit)
The HOPE Van (mobile health clinic) is operated by Abode Services in partnership with local churches in the Tri-City area and the Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless program. This unit brings free medical care directly to people experiencing homelessness.
Schedule at Centerville Presbyterian Church: It sets up in the church parking lot (4360 Central Ave, Fremont) every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., right next to the line where the free dinner is served.
