The holidays can be financially stressful for anyone, especially those who barely meet their basic needs. Fortunately, various programs in the Sacramento area offer free Christmas assistance to low-income households for the 2023 holiday season.
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 Sacramento.
To qualify for most Christmas Food Assistance Programs in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento for the 2023 holiday season, including registration and contact information.
Free Christmas Assistance in Sacramento (2023 Guide)
Below is a list of all the organizations in Sacramento 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.
Sacramento Sheriff’s Toy Project
The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department Toy Project provides less fortunate children with gifts, bicycles, computers, clothing and food boxes to more than 7,500 families during the holiday season.
In addition to their annual holiday toy and food give-away, the Sheriff’s Toy Project helps fund the Santa Claus Project where Sheriff’s Deputies distribute stockings and gifts each Christmas Eve to the homeless and to children in area hospitals undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from other illnesses.
To receive assistance through the Toy Project contact the organization directly by phone at (916) 361-4571 or email at [email protected].
Free Photos with Santa
The Spot for Smiles Kids Dentistry is hosting a Free Event for families in the Sacramento area.
Bring your family and get a free photo taken with Santa!
For event information and how to register, see the details below:
Event Date & Time
December 2023
Event Location
The Spot for Smiles
9565 Laguna Springs Drive
Elk Grove, CA 95758
Event Registration
To register, visit their Eventbrite page.
For questions, please contact them at (916)290-0029 or elkgrove@spotforsmiles.
Blessings in a Backpack Holiday Toy & Grocery Giveaway
Blessings in a Backpack Rancho Cordova Chapter is hosting their 4th annual Holiday Toy and Grocery Giveaway for 2023.
They will be providing over 200 gifts to local families in the Sacramento area.
This event is only for families that live in the following zip codes, 95821, 95826, 95827, 95630, 95642, 95655, or 95670.
Registration is required and opens on Friday, November 24, 2023.
All registration is accepted on a first come, first served basis.
Applicants who register successfully will receive an assigned time for toy pickup.
For event information and how to register, see the details below:
Event Date
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Event Location
9249 Folsom Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95826
Event Registration
To register, visit their website.
For questions, please email them at [email protected].
Moms Rock Annual Christmas Giveaway
Moms Rock is hosting their annual Christmas Giveaway for families in the Sacramento community.
They will be giving away free toys and have a free raffle for all who attend.
Get the event details below:
Event Date & Time
Saturday, December 16, 2023
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Event Location
4215 12th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95817
Event Registration
To register, visit their Eventbrite page.
Outside the Walls Christmas Blessing Program
Outside the Walls is hosting a Free Giveaway Holiday Event for children living in the Sacramento area this 2023 holiday season.
Gifts from the Christmas Blessing Program are for children ages 2 to 10 years old.
Families must be receiving Cal-Works and reside in one of the following Zip Codes: 95820, 95821, 95822, or 95823.
Registration is required for this program.
For event information and how to register, see the details below:
Event Date & Time
December 2023
Event Location
4625 44th Street, Room 104
Sacramento, CA 95820
Event Registration
To register, visit their website.
Free Giveaway Holiday Event
The Sheba Farms Foundation is hosting a Free Giveaway Holiday Event for families in the Sacramento area this 2023 holiday season.
This event will feature some music/comedy/poetry entertainment, a toy drive and a bounce house for kids, turkey and ham giveaways, free shoes, bike, and jackets for kids, and much more.
For event information and how to register, see the details below:
Event Date & Time
December 2023
Event Location
2659 Florin Road
Sacramento, CA 95822
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.
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 Sacramento
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:
- Visit the Toys for Tots website.
- Click “Request a Toy” from the top menu.
- Click “Search for your Local Chapter” button.
- Select California from the state dropdown menu.
- Choose Sacramento from the menu.
- Once you are on the Sacramento Toys for Tots page, click the red “Request a Toy” button located at the top of the page.
- Follow the Application Instructions listed on the page to apply for free Christmas toys in California.
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 near you.
United Way Free Christmas Assistance Program
If you live in Sacramento 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 California Capital Region 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.
Operation Homefront Holiday Toy Drive
Operation Homefront’s Holiday Toy Drive helps bring holiday cheer to military families. For over a decade, they’ve partnered with Dollar Tree to provide military families with support during the holiday season.
Dollar Tree stores take toy donations, typically in November and December to help make the holidays brighter for our military families. In 2019, over 1,000 military children received toys from our Holiday Toy Drive.
To participate, start by registering for an Operation Homefront account. When you are eligible for the event, it will appear on your Account Dashboard. Once the event appears in your dashboard, you can register to attend and get help.
To learn more, visit their website at operationhomefront.org.
Free Christmas Trees in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento, California.
Click here to Request a Free Christmas Tree for 2023.
Holiday Food Assistance Programs in Sacramento
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 Sacramento area.
The holidays can easily become a financial burden for many low-income families living in Sacramento.
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 Sacramento 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 for 2023:
- Free Christmas Assistance in California for 2023
- Anaheim: Free Christmas Assistance
- Bakersfield: Free Christmas Toys
- Fresno: Free Christmas Gifts & Meals
- Long Beach: Free Christmas Assistance
- Los Angeles: Free Christmas Toys, Gifts & Meals
- Oakland: Free Christmas Gifts & Toys
- 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 and turkey Giveaways in Sacramento.
Also, be sure to check out our other articles about California SNAP and EBT, including: