Read e-letters !
(click here)



Client Services

Tri-City Volunteers Programs
  • Bi-monthly food bags
  • Bi-monthly fresh produce service
  • Brown-bag lunch program for the homeless
  • Holiday food baskets
  • Information and resource referrals


Who can get food?

Residents of Fremont, Newark, and Union City are eligible to receive food from us. We are currently primarily serving clients from households whose income falls below 50% of the median income in Alameda County, based on the number of people in the household. Click here to see these limits. In addition, if you are homeless, you may come in once per day to receive a prepared brown bag lunch from us.

However, we will not turn away anyone who comes to us in need. We request only that you do not utilize our services unnecessarily, as if you take without needing, you will be taking food directly from those who do need. If you have just lost your job and need some assistance to get back on your feet, for example, our pantry is open to you.

There are some maximum income requirements for the USDA food program that must be met. You can view these limits here. Even if you exceed these maximums, however, you can still come to us to receive our other food programs.


How do I qualify for food?

Come into our food bank at 37350 Joseph St. in Fremont, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm (closed for lunch from noon to 1:00 pm), and bring with you the following documentation:
  • Identification for every member of the household (this includes your spouse and/or children - please bring in something like a birth certificate, Social Security card, etc.)
  • Proof of Residency - this can be anything that proves you live in the Tri-Cities area, such as an electric bill.
We offer three food programs, each of which you can receive once per month. These programs are EFB (Emergency Food Box), USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture), and TCB (Tri-City Blend). EFB is offered during the first half of the month, TCB during the second half, and USDA all month.

To receive all your food for the month, you will want to come in once during the first half of the month, and once in the second half of the month. These dates will sometimes vary and can be viewed at the front desk when you come in. In addition, if you have received all your food for the month, but are still in need of more food, or if you need more food before your second pick-up, you can come in and ask for produce.

On busy days, we will sometimes be forced to lock the doors early - up to half an hour before noon or 4:00 pm - in order to serve all the clients in line before closing time. While we are not always busy and sometimes the doors will be open until the last minute, it is wise to show up earlier rather than later to ensure a spot in line.


Thrift Store

We operate a dynamic and good quality thrift store, with some of the lowest prices in Alameda County and the Tri-City area. Most clothing items are priced at $2.00. We believe that everyone in our community should have access to good, affordable clothing, and our prices reflect that belief. We have new items coming in every day, so be sure to stop by often and see what new things we have in store for you.

The Thrift Store is excited to host two big sales each month, where almost every item in the store is 50% off! Sale days occur on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Additionally, every other Thursday (2nd and 4th) is a senior discount day. Personal shoppers only.

Tri-City Volunteers own Thrift Store provides approximately 25% of the income needed to support our high-volume food distribution programs. We are always pleased to receive high-quality clothing donations from the public. Donated items should be brought directly to our Joseph Street location, and all donations are tax deductible.


     

Food Bank


Our biggest contribution to the community is our food bank. We receive our food from corporate, government, and individual contributions/donations, as well as from food drives coordinated by local schools, churches and community groups. This food is then distributed to those in need. Remember, hunger is year round!

In addition, we also provide Emergency Food Boxes and USDA Government Surplus food to community members who need it most.

What kinds of foods will I receive?


We do our best to provide high-quality foods for all our clients. We do not provide food that is past the expiration date, nor do we give out rotten or inedible produce or meats. If you receive any items from us that are past the expiration date or inedible, please feel free to return them to us for replacements.

Please remember that we receive much of our food from donations and government sources, and thus what we have on hand may differ heavily from week to week. As a result of this, sometimes we may run out of a particular item mid-day (for example, if a grocery store donates 50 cakes to us, only the first 50 families to show up will receive a cake). We do the best we can to provide everyone with an equal amount of food, but sometimes the actual items received may differ as a result of this.

Some examples of the items you are likely to receive are:
  • Canned foods such as soups or tuna
  • Rice, pasta, or other grains
  • Fresh produce
  • Boxed foods
  • Cereal
  • Beans
  • Juice
For comprehensive county-wide information and referrals, please phone 211 or search: http://www.211.org/


Tri-City Volunteers
37350 Joseph Street, Fremont, CA 94536
(510) 793-4583


This website is maintained voluntarily by Jason Tzu-Cheng Chuang.