Samaritan House is the largest food distributor in San Mateo County. Our high-quality essential food services include 156,000 freshly prepared hot meals and 40,000 bags of groceries. That adds up to 756,000 meals annually for people in need.
Hot nutritious meals and bags of food are provided to our clients daily. Our kitchen, pantry, and dining services fill a gap between the need for food and the ability of individuals to obtain the meals and groceries they need to thrive.
The Samaritan House Kitchen
Food Pantry & Kitchen
4031 Pacific Blvd., 1st Floor Map
San Mateo, CA 94403
Tel: 650-341-4081 ext. 3001
Hours: Mon.- Fri., 9 a.m. 12 p.m. & 1– 4 p.m.
Sat. -Sun., 12 noon: Lunch to-go
The Samaritan House Kitchen feeds over 3,000 hungry people each month, a significant portion are children from low-income families. Meals are supplied during the week through the Dining Room in the City of San Mateo; our food pantry; our Mobile Meals program, which delivers to social service programs, senior and community centers, and to those who are homebound; and the Summer Kids Lunch program. On weekends, the Kitchen staff, with support from a multitude of community service organizations, makes lunches available for pick-up.
Food Pantry & Bread Basket
Samaritan House’s Pantry supplies food boxes full of groceries for low-income families who struggle to buy groceries. This option allows families to prepare fresh meals together at home.
Bread is a basic food staple that Samaritan House provides Monday – Friday to all who are in need. As of September 2017, a voucher system will be used to distribute bread. Persons may secure bread for themselves and/or their family by obtaining vouchers at Client Services. There is no application process and bread is available to anyone who is in need. Bread is distributed from the Pantry.
Also, larger quantities of bread can be made available for pick up in order to supply other community organizations throughout San Mateo County.
Dining Room
Samaritan House offers a sit-down dinner (a hot meal and dessert) on weeknights, to single adults and families. All are encouraged to take advantage of dining in a restaurant-quality space that invites community space; however, an option to carry-out the meal is available if needed.
Samaritan House Dining Room at San Mateo Masonic Lodge
303 Tilton Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401 Map
Tel: 650-341-4081 ext. 2003
Hours: Monday – Friday at 4:00-6:00pm
After School Lunch Program
Throughout the county, students attending after school programs also benefit from food and snacks provided by Samaritan House. This healthy snack with juice fuels students focused on homework and after school activities, thereby bridging the hunger gap until dinnertime.
Summer Lunch Program
Samaritan House created the King Café Summer Lunch Program. This program provides food in the summer months to students who receive subsidized lunches during the school year. Teenage volunteers help serve meals from our Kitchen to children taking part in San Mateo’s King Center summer recreational programs, created to keep kids off the streets.
Mobile Meals
Recognizing that only able-bodied individuals were able to attend dinner at our Dining Hall, Samaritan House created a volunteer-based Mobile Meals program to deliver warm meals to the elderly and disabled.