Where to Find Free Food Assistance in Tallahassee and Leon County

If you or someone you know needs food, help is available throughout Tallahassee and Leon County. Local churches, nonprofit organizations, community centers, food pantries, and food lockers provide groceries, prepared meals, and other forms of assistance.

Food-distribution schedules and eligibility requirements can change, so always confirm the location’s current hours before leaving home.

Start With Second Harvest of the Big Bend

Second Harvest of the Big Bend works with more than 120 frontline organizations, including food pantries, churches, shelters, schools, and community centers.

Visit the Second Harvest Find Food page and enter your address or ZIP code. You can search for:

• Food pantries

• Hot meals

• Mobile food distributions

• Locations open on a particular day

• Delivery services

• Diaper assistance

• Other support services

Second Harvest also provides a printable food-pantry list and information about 24-hour grocery lockers.

Please note that groceries are distributed through Second Harvest’s partner organizations—not from the Second Harvest warehouse. Second Harvest recommends calling a pantry before visiting because schedules can change.

Tallahassee Food-Distribution Locations

The following organizations have offered food assistance in the Tallahassee area. Availability, eligibility requirements, and schedules may change.

Saturday food distributions

• Faith Presbyterian Church – Manna on Meridian: Third Saturday, 8:00–9:30 a.m.

• Restoration and Praise: Second Saturday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.

• Element3 Church: Saturdays, 9:00–10:30 a.m.

• Watson Temple Church of God in Christ: Third Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

• Eastside Church of Christ: Second Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

• Philadelphia Primitive Baptist Church: Saturdays, 9:00–11:00 a.m.

• Greater Love Church of God in Christ: Third and fourth Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

• Holy Comforter Episcopal Church: Selected Saturdays, 9:00–11:00 a.m. Participants may be limited to one visit per month.

Weekday and recurring food assistance

• Jacob Chapel Baptist Church: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3:00–6:30 p.m.

• Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church: Every Thursday, 3:00–6:00 p.m., at 3121 Jim Lee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32301.

• Victory House: Thursdays and Fridays, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., and Saturdays, 8:00–10:00 a.m. Visitors should bring their own bags and register when they arrive.

• Good News Outreach: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., at 606 West Fourth Avenue.

• Grace Mission Episcopal Church: Provides meals and food assistance on selected days during the week.

• Catholic Charities: Offers food assistance during designated weekday hours.

• ECHO of Tallahassee: Provides emergency food and other basic-needs assistance.

• The Kearney Center: Provides meals and services for people experiencing homelessness.

• GRC: Food assistance is offered Thursdays and Sundays, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

These schedules are provided as a starting point. Call the organization or confirm its current listing through Second Harvest before visiting.

24-Hour Food Lockers

Food lockers can help people who cannot attend traditional pantry hours because of work, transportation, childcare, disability, or other responsibilities. Depending on the location, lockers may contain shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen food.

Second Harvest maintains a Food Locker Access Guide with participating locations and instructions. Locker sites in the area have included Good News Outreach and Sabal Palm Elementary School.

Some lockers require a pickup code. Follow the directions listed for the specific locker location.

What Should You Bring to a Food Pantry?

Requirements vary, but it may help to bring:

• A photo ID

• Proof that you live in the county

• The names or number of people living in your household

• Bags, boxes, or a cart for carrying food

• Information about food allergies or dietary restrictions

You may be asked to complete a form reporting your household size and income. Second Harvest advises that this information may only need to be updated annually.

A lack of documents should not stop you from asking for help. Call the pantry and explain your situation before visiting.

Call 211 for Immediate Help

If you need help locating food that is available now, call 211 Big Bend.

• Dial 211

• Call 850-617-6333

• Text your ZIP code to 898211

• Visit 211 Big Bend

The service is free, private, and available 24 hours a day. In addition to food assistance, 211 can provide referrals for housing, utilities, healthcare, transportation, counseling, and other community needs.

Apply for SNAP Food Assistance

Florida’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called SNAP or food stamps, helps eligible households purchase groceries.

You can apply, renew your benefits, upload documents, or check your case through the Florida MyACCESS portal. Applying for public assistance is free. Be cautious of anyone asking you to pay a fee to submit a SNAP application.

Food Assistance for Pregnant Women and Young Children

Florida’s Women, Infants and Children Program provides eligible families with healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals.

WIC may assist:

• Pregnant women

• Women who are breastfeeding

• Women who recently gave birth

• Infants

• Children younger than five

Visit the Florida Department of Health in Leon County WIC page or call 800-342-3556 to begin the application process.

How FTLOT Helps Address Food Insecurity

For the Least of These Inc. works with Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church and other community partners to move donated food into accessible community locations.

Through our Collaborative Food Distribution Program, volunteers help receive, organize, transport, and distribute food to households experiencing food insecurity and transportation barriers. FTLOT does not operate a daily walk-in food pantry, and food availability depends on donations and scheduled community distributions.

Our goal is to connect people with resources while treating every person with dignity and respect.

Help Keep This Information Current

Pantry schedules can change because of food availability, weather, holidays, volunteer capacity, and other circumstances. Contact the organization before traveling.

If you represent a Tallahassee or Leon County food-assistance program and need to update information listed on this page, contact FTLOT at info@ftlot.org.

For additional resources, visit www.ftlot.org.

Last updated August 24, 2026.