Pantries, hot meals, Foodshare truck stops and holiday help across the city, with who can go and what to bring.
Somewhere in Bridgeport, free food is served or handed out every weekday. The Thomas Merton Family Center on State Street serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, the city's pantries open on different days across the week, and Connecticut Foodshare's truck makes five stops in the city every two weeks with no ID and no questions asked. Anyone unsure where to start can dial 2-1-1, the state's free information line, and ask for food help nearby.
Last checked: October 6, 2026. Hours and programs change, so call ahead when you can.
Before you go
- Bring a photo ID to a pantry. The food guide the city posts asks every pantry visitor to bring one. Foodshare's mobile pantry asks for none.
- A few places limit who they serve: the city lists the Black Rock pantry for ZIP code 06605, and the Veterans Affairs pantry is for veterans.
- Bring bags. Foodshare asks for a bag, a box, or a rolling cart.
- Some of the city's lists disagree with the pantries' own websites. This guide follows each pantry's own site and says where to call to confirm.
Food pantries
Pantry days in the city run from one morning a week to five days a week, and a few pantries ask new families to register first. The hours here come from each pantry's own website or a City of Bridgeport page. The Thomas Merton Family Center and the Bridgeport Rescue Mission run pantries too; they are listed under Free meals.
nOURish Bridgeport Super Food Pantry and Baby Center
nOURish runs the pantry together with a baby center that gives out diapers, infant formula, baby food, and wipes.
- Where: 2200 North Ave.
- When: Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. The last people are let in at 5:30 p.m.
- Who can go: Everyone, according to nOURish's website, which describes no appointment. An older city-posted list says to call ahead for one, so call to confirm.
- Contact: 203-335-3107 · info@nourishbpt.com · nourishbpt.org
Bishop Jean Williams Food Pantry (Park City Initiative)
On Tuesdays and Thursdays the pantry runs as a drive-thru. Wednesdays are its community market days, when people walk in and pick their own groceries.
- Where: 857 Howard Ave., according to Park City Initiative's website. The city's lists still show 3160 Park Ave., so call to confirm.
- When: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesdays, noon to 4 p.m.; Thursdays, 1 to 6 p.m. These hours are from the city's list; call to confirm.
- Who can go: People and families in the region who need food. Everyone fills out a short intake form before shopping. The drive-thru days are by appointment, and Wednesdays are walk-in.
- Also: Senior Care Boxes for older residents, by calling 203-873-0260.
- Contact: 203-873-0260 · help@parkcityinitiative.org · parkcityinitiative.org
Blessed Sacrament Church Food Pantry
- Where: 275 Union Ave.
- When: Thursdays, 7:30 to 10 a.m., except the first Thursday of the month.
- Who can go: The parish says it serves more than 300 registered families, and it posts no residency rule. Call or email to ask about registering.
- Contact: 203-333-1202 · FoodPantry@blessedsacramentbpt.org · blessedsacramentbpt.org
Black Rock Food Pantry
- Where: 2676 Fairfield Ave. (Black Rock), the same address as the Black Rock Senior Center
- When: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, on the pantry's website. The city's list gives 9 to 11 a.m., so call to confirm.
- Who can go: Residents of ZIP code 06605, according to the city's list. The pantry's own website does not mention a ZIP code.
- What to bring: A valid ID, according to the city's list.
- Contact: 203-610-1222 · blackrockfoodpantry.org
King's Pantry
Connecticut Foodshare's truck also stops here every other Thursday afternoon; the dates are under More help.
- Where: 30 Florence St.
- When: Weekdays 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., on the city's list. Call to confirm.
- Contact: 203-335-9255
Veterans' food pantry (City of Bridgeport Veterans Affairs)
- Where: 20 Thorme St.
- When: The third Tuesday and Wednesday of each month, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Who can go: Veterans. Call before a first visit to ask what to bring.
- Contact: 203-576-8348 · Veterans Affairs
Free meals
Three places serve free meals that need no sign-up. The Thomas Merton Family Center covers every weekday, and the Rescue Mission and nOURish fill in around it.
Thomas Merton Family Center (Catholic Charities)
The center says it serves more than 300 guests a day. It also opens its showers on Tuesdays and Thursdays and runs a pantry where each family shops on a day set by last name.
- Where: 1406 State St.
- When: Meals Monday through Friday: breakfast 9 to 10 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pantry shopping on Tuesdays for last names A to G, Wednesdays for H to P, and Thursdays for Q to Z.
- Who can go: Anyone, for meals. New pantry families register on Mondays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and no appointment is needed to register.
- Contact: 203-367-9036 · ccfairfield.org
Bridgeport Rescue Mission
Along with dry goods, the Mission's pantry stocks fresh produce, dairy, meat, toiletries, and hygiene products. On Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Diaper Bank of Connecticut helps the Mission give out diapers, and free clothing is offered every other Saturday.
- Where: 725 Park Ave., according to the Mission's website. A city page still lists 1088 Fairfield Ave., so call to confirm.
- When: Breakfast Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; lunch Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 3 p.m. The pantry is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. One of the Mission's pages also lists a Sunday meal from 2 to 3 p.m.; call to confirm.
- Who can go: The Mission posts no residency or ID rule.
- Contact: 203-333-4087 · bridgeportrescuemission.org
nOURish Bridgeport: Feel the Warmth supper
A Thursday-night supper open to all, served with fresh produce from nOURish's indoor hydroponic farm.
- Where: Harrison Apartments, 651 State St., according to nOURish's website. An older city-posted list gives 2200 North Ave., so call to confirm.
- When: Thursdays, 6 to 7 p.m.
- Who can go: Everyone.
- Contact: 203-335-3107 · nourishbpt.org
More pantries: call before you go
The city's food page links to a longer list, the Bridgeport Food Resource Guide put together by the Health Improvement Alliance. It names 26 more pantries, suppers, and a community fridge, most of them at churches. That list was posted in November 2025, and none of these places has a current page of its own that the Post could find, so their hours are left out here. Call where a number is listed. Where none is, dial 2-1-1, whose database lists pantries by town.
More help
Connecticut Foodshare's mobile pantry
Foodshare's truck asks no questions and needs no ID. It sets up outdoors like a small farmers market, and each person takes home about 20 pounds of food on average. Only people 16 or older who come in person can pick up food, and Foodshare says there is no need to arrive very early; come close to the start time.
- Park City Initiative at Klein Memorial, 910 Fairfield Ave., in the large lot across the street: every other Tuesday, 9 to 9:45 a.m. — October 13 and 27, November 10 and 24, December 8 and 22.
- Bridgeport Hospital, 200 Mill Hill Ave., in the parking lot behind the hospital: every other Wednesday, 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. — October 14 and 28, November 25, and December 9. The November 11 and December 23 stops are cancelled.
- King's Pantry, 30 Florence St.: every other Thursday, 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. — October 8 and 22, November 5 and 19, and December 3, 17, and 31.
- St. Vincent's Hospital, 2800 Main St., at the valet parking area: every other Friday, 1 to 2 p.m. — October 16 and 30, November 13, and December 11. The November 27 and December 25 stops are cancelled.
- Claytor Magnet Academy, 240 Ocean Terrace: every other Monday, 1 to 1:30 p.m. — October 19, November 2, 16, and 30, and December 14 and 28.
- Just over the city line, Holy Name of Jesus Church, 1950 Barnum Ave., Stratford: every other Monday, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. — October 12 and 26, November 9 and 23, and December 7 and 21.
A stop is called off when the city's schools close for the full day because of weather. Text FOODSHARE to 85511 (COMIDA for Spanish) for dates and cancellation notices, or check Foodshare's calendar. The city's food page also gives 203-200-3719 for weather cancellations.
Free school meals
Bridgeport Public Schools says every one of its schools is a Community Eligibility Provision school, the federal option that lets a district feed every student at no cost. Breakfast and lunch are free for every student, with no application, and the district also serves after-school meals.
Lunch for people 60 and older
CW Resources serves lunch at four community cafés in the city for adults 60 and older. Diners register first and reserve at least two days ahead, and eligibility is checked before service starts. The same provider delivers meals to older adults who cannot leave home; call 203-332-3264 to start.
- 2400 North Ave. (call 203-367-2677): weekdays at 11:30 a.m.
- East Side Senior Center, 268 Putnam St. (call 203-332-4217): weekdays at noon
- Eisenhower Senior Center, 307 Golden Hill St. (call 203-576-7993): weekdays at noon
- Hall Neighborhood House, 52 George E. Pipkin's Way (call 203-345-2000): Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 11:30 a.m.
The Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging's help line, 800-994-9422, answers weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thanksgiving and holiday help
Two Thanksgiving programs in the city had not posted their 2026 dates when this guide was checked.
- nOURish Bridgeport's Feast in a Box, a complete Thanksgiving dinner ready to cook, with translated cooking instructions, has not posted its 2026 sign-up yet; call 203-335-3107.
- The Bridgeport Rescue Mission's Great ThanksGiving Project, which gives out turkeys and holiday food packages, has not posted its 2026 dates or its Bridgeport location yet; call 203-333-4087.
- The Salvation Army's Bridgeport Corps, 30 Elm St., keeps its office open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call 203-334-0995 to ask about holiday help and food assistance.
SNAP, WIC and other help
SNAP, the federal grocery benefit once called food stamps, arrives each month on an EBT card. Apply online at ConneCT, by phone at 1-855-626-6632 (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), or in person at the Department of Social Services' Bridgeport Resource Center, 925 Housatonic Ave., open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Under the department's chart for October 2026, a household of one can earn up to $2,660 a month before taxes and still qualify, and a family of four up to $5,500 (the full chart). The department answers within 30 days, and within seven days for a household with less than $150 a month in income and less than $100 in the bank.
Free help with the application comes from Connecticut Foodshare, 860-856-4357, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in English or Spanish; End Hunger CT!, 866-974-7627; and the Alliance for Community Empowerment, the city's community action agency, 1070 Park Ave., 203-366-8241.
WIC covers groceries for pregnant women, new mothers, babies, and children under 5; fathers, grandparents, and foster parents can apply for the children in their care. Families on SNAP or HUSKY already meet the income rule. Bridgeport's two offices are Optimus Health Care WIC, 1450 Barnum Ave., Suite 205, 203-333-9200, and Southwest Community Health Center WIC, 1020 Fairfield Ave., 203-332-4600. The state does not list their hours, so call, or fill out the state's WIC interest form and an office will call back.
For anything this guide does not cover, dial 2-1-1 or search 211ct.org.
How to help
Most of these places post what they need.
- Thomas Merton Family Center: Its wish list asks for large boxes of cereal, oatmeal packets, family-size bags of rice, boxed pasta, tortillas, canned tuna and other canned meats, applesauce and fruit cups, granola bars, peanut butter, and single-serve snacks, plus travel-size toiletries, razors, toothbrushes, and toothpaste for its shower kits. Drop-offs are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1406 State St.; call 203-367-9036 first to set a time.
- Bridgeport Rescue Mission: Donations go to its Donation Center, 1069 Connecticut Ave., Unit 2B, Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Mission asks donors to check with it first at 203-333-4087, because its needs change through the year. Volunteers sign up for pantry or kitchen shifts on its volunteer page, and people can help from home by baking cookies, running a canned-food drive, or putting together Blessing Bags.
- Blessed Sacrament: Volunteers are welcome on pantry day. The pantry's list of needs runs from soup, black beans, pasta, and spaghetti sauce to tuna and other canned meats, Chef Boyardee, cereal, peanut butter, soap, and toilet paper. It also takes toiletries, clothing, and small household items.
- Black Rock Food Pantry: Cereal, paper goods, canned goods, and other nonperishables, dropped off Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon or picked up by arrangement over email. Money can be given online or by a check in the mail; the addresses are on the pantry's website. Volunteers write to Sheila Dunn at SDunn@fairfield.edu.
- nOURish Bridgeport: Volunteers write to Tshon Davis, its director of volunteers, at Tshon.Davis@nourishbpt.org. The day it hands out Feast in a Box is its big volunteer day. Donations go through nourishbpt.org/donate.
- Park City Initiative: Donations at parkcityinitiative.org/donate.
- Connecticut Foodshare: Money, food drives, and volunteer shifts through ctfoodshare.org.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a hot meal today?
On a weekday, at the Thomas Merton Family Center, 1406 State St.: breakfast from 9 to 10 a.m. and lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Bridgeport Rescue Mission serves breakfast on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Thursday evenings, nOURish serves supper at 651 State St.
Do I need an ID?
Not for the Foodshare truck. For the pantries, bring one: the city-posted food guide asks every visitor to, and the city lists a valid ID as a requirement at Black Rock.
Is there food on the weekend?
The Black Rock pantry opens Saturday mornings for 06605 residents, and one Rescue Mission page lists a Sunday afternoon meal, so call 203-333-4087 before going. Several church pantries in the call-before-you-go table open on Saturdays or Sundays; call them or dial 2-1-1.
Do I have to live in a certain part of the city?
Not for most places in this guide, which post no residency rule. The exceptions are the Black Rock pantry, which the city lists for ZIP code 06605, and the veterans' pantry.
Can my children eat free at school?
Yes. Every Bridgeport public school serves breakfast and lunch at no cost to every student, with no form to fill out.
Know something we missed? Email tips@thequinnipiacpost.com to help us keep this guide up to date.
