Top 15 Churches in San Francisco Helping with Rent, Food, and Bills in 2025

When the rents and bills pile up, and you don’t know where to turn, faith-rooted organizations often act as the last line of defense. The following list highlights 15 churches (and church-affiliated nonprofits) in San Francisco that offer structured aid — from rent and utility support to food pantries — with real contact info and transparent programs. I ranked them based on impact, transparency, accessibility, outreach breadth, and reputation.

How We Chose These Churches in San Francisco

We only included churches (or church-affiliated nonprofits) physically located in San Francisco that clearly offer at least one program for rental/eviction help, food pantry/meals, utility assistance, or emergency financial aid — and have public contact info. The ranking reflects breadth of services, clarity of intake, reputation (public reviews, visibility), and openness to the broader community (not just congregants).

1. Glide Memorial Church

One of SF’s largest-scale church-led social service providers, especially for housing and basic needs.

• Primary assistance: Rental assistance (eviction prevention, back rent, deposits), daily meals, hygiene kits, case management, shelter referrals.

• Best for: Individuals and families facing eviction, homelessness, hunger, or crisis — especially those outside any congregation.

• How to get help: Walk-In Center at 330 Ellis St., Mon–Fri 8:30 am–4:00 pm (closed 11:30am–12:30pm). Phone: 415-674-6012.

• Details: Glide’s “No San Franciscan Left Behind” rental-assistance program provides direct rent and deposit support, but applicants must first attend a housing-readiness workshop.  Their support is low-barrier and inclusive.

• Trust signals: Glide serves over 750,000 free meals yearly and provides shelter, housing, legal aid, and more — widely recognized in SF’s social-service ecosystem.

2. St. Dominic’s Parish & Lima Center

A Catholic parish that maintains a dedicated outreach ministry offering food, rent help, and hygiene services.

• Primary assistance: Food pantry (weekly produce/essentials), rent/other bill support in crisis, hot lunches, showers, laundry, and clothing through Lima Center.

• Best for: San Franciscans in crisis needing immediate help — especially those needing food, hygiene services, or short-term financial help.

• How to get help: St. Dominic’s Parish Hall (parish address). Contact: (415) 567-7824 ext. 117, or email (see website). Walk-ins for food pantry (Mondays 10–11 AM).

• Details: The outreach includes bagged lunches, hot meals, showers (Tues–Fri), laundry (Thursdays), and case-by-case financial aid for rent, food or bills.  Lima Center also helps individuals with no fixed address, making it relatively accessible.

• Trust signals: The church partners with a major charity and social-service network, and its outreach history is publicly documented.

3. St. Anthony’s Social Work Center

Church-rooted social services offering rent help and security-deposit assistance via partnerships with aid agencies.

• Primary assistance: Back-rent assistance, security deposit help, utility and basic needs support via partner funding organizations.

• Best for: Rent-burdened individuals or families needing help catching up on rent or securing a new lease.

• How to get help: Reach out to St. Anthony’s Social Work Center (address listed on their website); clients are screened and can make an appointment with a social worker.

• Details: The center acts as an intake hub — they evaluate needs and refer or administer aid, depending on eligibility. Works through partner funders, so availability may vary.

• Trust signals: The program is clearly described on the church’s site, and they are affiliated with established aid networks.

4. Catholic Charities San Francisco (church-affiliated)

A long-standing, large-scale agency rooted in Catholic social teaching, serving the entire city with rent assistance, homelessness prevention, food aid, and more.

• Primary assistance: Rental assistance, eviction prevention, homelessness support, food aid, immigration services, senior and youth support.

• Best for: Individuals/families facing eviction or housing instability, seniors, immigrants, people without stable income, broadly inclusive of community.

• How to get help: Main contact at 990 Eddy Street, SF, CA 94109; Phone: 415-972-1301.

• Details: Catholic Charities serves tens of thousands annually across multiple programs. Their eviction-prevention and rental assistance are part of SF’s broader safety net and they welcome citywide need, not just parishioners.

• Trust signals: One of Northern California’s largest human-services agencies — with wide name recognition, transparent programs, and documented impact reaching thousands per year.

5. Radiance Christian Church SF

A church offering a “Benevolence Fund” for financial aid to individuals in hardship, plus referrals to city and state resources.

• Primary assistance: Financial support for crisis needs (rent, utilities, other bills), counseling, and referrals to external aid agencies.

• Best for: People who prefer a faith-based support structure and need a confidential, pastor-led benevolence option.

• How to get help: Complete the Benevolence Application on Radiance’s website; their care team follows up individually.

• Details: Radiance maintains confidentiality and flexibility — after application, care team members assess individual needs and connect folks to external resources or direct financial support. They also maintain a referral list for housing, legal, and employment support.

• Trust signals: Public Benevolence Application + transparent descriptions of what the church offers; while smaller in scale than large nonprofits, accessible and community-oriented.

6. Additional Churches/Parishes & Local Ministries

The following may be smaller or less documented, but they are worth exploring if you are in crisis. Please call ahead — services may be limited, staffing thin, or require appointments.

6. Episcopal Community Services (ECS)

• Provides supportive housing, outreach, coordinated entry services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

• Best for: People needing housing support and complex case management (not just short-term aid).

• How to get help: Contact their intake line: (415) 487-3300 x7000 or email sfaces@ecs-sf.org.

7. SF‑Marin Food Bank network + partnering churches

• While not a single church, many San Francisco churches partner with SF-Marin Food Bank to distribute groceries weekly in different neighborhoods.

• Best for: Residents needing regular food support — especially those facing food insecurity but not immediate housing crisis.

• How to get help: Visit SF-Marin Food Bank’s locator page to identify partnering churches near you and check their distribution schedule.

8. Eviction Defense Collaborative (via some church referrals)

• Not a church per se, but often used by churches as a referral resource. Provides rent arrears help, legal support, and eviction defense resources.

• Best for: Tenants facing eviction or legal threats around housing.

9. Season of Sharing Fund (via church-linked agencies)

• Offers one-time emergency financial support for rent, utilities, and other critical needs — often administered via churches and local nonprofits.

• Best for: Families or individuals in financial crisis needing a small one-time grant or deposit support.

10. Smaller neighborhood churches or parishes (varied)

• Many small churches across SF across denominations have local outreach, limited food, clothing, or small bill-help services. Because their operations can be informal or volunteer-run, their assistance is best located by contacting local parishes directly (especially in underserved neighborhoods).

Other Important Helplines and Resources in San Francisco

• 211 San Francisco — Free community resource hotline, connects callers to food, rent, utility, mental health, and housing services across the city.

• SF Emergency Rental Assistance Program (SF ERAP) — Official city-level rent and utility aid for eligible households; churches like Catholic Charities and ECS often help residents apply.

• Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) — Provides legal help for tenants facing eviction, often used along with churches’ rent assistance referrals.

• Local food distribution networks — Many churches partner with SF-Marin Food Bank or similar organizations; using their location-finder tools helps find nearest pantry.

• Homelessness prevention & housing nonprofits like ECS — For deeper housing support beyond crisis aid.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re reading this and feeling overwhelmed — remember: you don’t have to go it alone. Reach out to at least one of the churches or resources listed today. Often, help is just one call or walk-in away. Share this list with friends or community groups — the more people know about these supports, the more lives we can help stabilize.

Stay strong. You deserve safety, dignity, and support.