Free Christmas Assistance in Oakland (2023 Guide)

The holidays can be financially stressful for anyone, especially those who barely meet their basic needs. Fortunately, various programs in the Oakland area offer free Christmas assistance to low-income households.

To help relieve some of your holiday stress, we have compiled a list of all the nonprofits and programs offering free holiday food and toy assistance in Oakland.

To qualify for most Christmas Food Assistance Programs in Oakland, you must be a low-income household and meet each organization’s requirements.

Read below for a list of all the Free Christmas Assistance in Oakland for the 2023 holiday season, including registration and contact information.

Free Christmas Assistance in Oakland (2023 Guide)

Below is a list of all the organizations in Oakland offering Free Christmas dinners, gifts, meals, toys, and more this holiday season.

We have provided the organization name, program offerings, registration requirements and instructions, address, and, where available, contact information.

The list below will be updated as we get close to the 2023 Holiday Season. 

 

 

Encounter Church Community Christmas Giveaway – San Leandro, CA

You’re invited to join Encounter Church for their Christmas Giveaway for the 2023 holiday season!

They will be distributing FREE food, toys, and clothing.

Please register each child (infant – teens) who will be present at the event. One ticket per attendee.

Kids must be present in order to receive toys and raffle prizes. All giveaways are first-come, first-served, so arrive early!

Register now and invite your family and friends.

For event information and how to register, see the details below:

Event Date & Time

Saturday, December 16, 2023
11:00am – 1:00PM

Event Location

Encounter Church
562 Lewelling Boulevard
San Leandro, CA 94579

Event Registration

To register, visit their Eventbrite page.

 

 

Be an Elf Free Toy Program

Be an Elf is a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged children receive gifts during Christmas. The organization helps families write letters to Santa through the USPS Operation Santa® Program.

Individuals can then adopt real letters and send gifts directly to the children in-need who wrote them. There’s no middle man or charity, it’s direct from the donor to a child.

Many letters are written by kids and Moms who ask only for “a warm coat for my 5 year old,” “new shoes, size 6,” or other basic necessities.

Volunteers at Christmas may mail their gifts directly to children who need a brighter Christmas.

If your family is struggling financially, this is a great option on how you might be able to get some extra Christmas gifts for your kids.

Click here to find out how to get free Christmas gifts for your family.

The deadline for the 2023 holiday season is December 10, 2023.

Salvation Army Angel Tree Program

The Salvation Army may be one of the most-popular organizations for holiday assistance. That’s because they provide a variety of services to those in need during the holiday season.

This year, Walmart and the Salvation Army are teaming up again for the The Angel Tree program. The program provides new clothing and toys to more than one-million children and families in local communities each year.

Once a child is accepted for the Angel Tree Program, donors can shop from the family’s Christmas wish list. Once the gifts are received, The Salvation Army will distribute them to the family just in time for Christmas morning.

If your family would like to apply for Angel Tree assistance for Christmas 2023, you will need to contact your local Salvation Army.

Submit your 2023 Angel Tree Application here.

Click here to find a local Salvation Army in Oakland near you.

 

United Way Free Christmas Assistance Program

If you live in Oakland and are looking for food and/or gift assistance this 2023 holiday season, the United Way can help.

The United Way is partnering with several local organizations to provide free holiday meals and Christmas toys to low income families this holiday season.

To learn more about all the free Christmas assistance being offering for 2023, click here to visit the United Way Bay Area website.

If you’re searching for Christmas help near you, apply with one of the local charity organizations listed below.

You can also contact the United Way’s 2-1-1 Service for holiday assistance. Dial 2-1-1, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit the 2-1-1 Website to chat.

 

Toys for Tots

Since 1947, the Marine Toys for Tots has been bringing the joy and hope of Christmas to America’s less fortunate children.

In California, there are several Toys for Tots programs that can help provide your child with a new gift this holiday.

How to Apply for Free Toys in Oakland

If you would like to receive free Christmas toys from Toys for Tots this 2023 holiday season, you must apply for the program.

To apply for free gifts, follow the steps below:

1. Visit the Toys for Tots website.
2. Click “Request a Toy” from the top menu.
3. Click “Search for your Local Chapter” button.
4. Select California from the state dropdown menu.
5. Choose your County from the menu.
6. Once you are on the Oakland Toys for Tots page, click the red “Request a Toy” button located at the top of the page.
7. Follow the Application Instructions listed on the page to apply for free Christmas toys in California.

 

Free Christmas Trees in Oakland, CA for 2023

The Christmas Tree Project is a nonprofit organization that saw an opportunity to help bring the Christmas spirit to families in need.

Their mission is to provide fully decorated Christmas trees to thousands of families who cannot afford them on their own.

Today, they are one of the largest organizations providing free Christmas trees to low-income families during the holiday season.

Although they are based out of Colorado, they give away trees across the country – including Oakland, California.

Click here to Request a Free Christmas Tree for 2023.

Holiday Food Assistance Programs in Oakland

We hope this guide on all the organizations offering free Christmas assistance this year was helpful.

We will continue to update this post as more opportunities for free holiday programs are announced.

Additionally, we will release our list of Free Turkey Giveaways & Thanksgiving Dinners each year in the Oakland area.

The holidays can easily become a financial burden for many low-income families living in Oakland.

We aim to help you navigate these difficult times and achieve financial security.

With that said, we would love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments if you found this information helpful and would like more articles like this!

Free Christmas Assistance in Oakland Summary

If you found this guide helpful, please consider sharing it with others in need using the “Share” button below.

Check out our other articles on Free Christmas Assistance available in California:

• Free Christmas Assistance in California for 2023
• Anaheim: Free Christmas Gifts & Toys
• Bakersfield: Free Christmas Toys
• Fresno: Free Christmas Gifts & Meals
• Long Beach: Free Christmas Assistance
• Los Angeles: Free Christmas Toys, Gifts & Meals
• Sacramento: Free Christmas Assistance
• San Diego: Free Christmas Toy Giveaways
• San Francisco: Free Christmas Gifts, Toys & Meals
• San Jose: Free Christmas Assistance

Questions?

Please let us know in the comments section below if you have further questions about Holiday Giveaways, California SNAP, CalFresh EBT Card, or P-EBT.

Be sure to check out our article on the Free Thanksgiving Dinner & Turkey Giveaways in Oakland.

Also, be sure to check out our other articles about California SNAP and EBT, including:

• Are we getting Extra Food Stamps This Month?
• $3,000 Child Tax Credit
• California Inflation Relief Checks – Who is Eligible?
• How long will Extra SNAP for California Last?
• Can you buy Dog Food with SNAP EBT?
• Who Benefits from SNAP the Most in California?