Every second Friday, ASCENDtials hosts a free food distribution event in City Heights — bringing fresh groceries, plants, clothing, and community resources to families across San Diego.
Each distribution day brings together fresh food, sustainability, and wraparound support for families in City Heights and surrounding neighborhoods.
Register in advance to receive a bag of fresh groceries. Pick-up is available by vehicle or walk-up with confirmation. The majority of recipients are women-led households with four or more members.
Local service providers on-site offering vital wraparound support — health services, CalFRESH enrollment, youth programs, and immigration support.
Bring cuttings, take cuttings, and share greenery with neighbors. A living reminder that community grows when we share.
Donate gently used items or pick up what you need. Building a culture of sharing and mutual care within our community.
Holistic wellness practices woven into the fabric of our events — honoring the mind, body, and spirit of our community.
Bring a piece of art — drawing, painting, poem, or handmade item — and exchange it with a neighbor. Creativity meets community.
Join the exchangeOur food distribution is free, no-questions-asked, and designed to be easy for families to access — whether you're arriving on foot or by vehicle.
This monthly event is made possible through the generous support of our partners. We are grateful for every organization and individual who shows up alongside us.
Serves the City Heights community by helping us secure fresh food for each distribution event.
Based in City Heights, supports monthly volunteer coordination and community outreach across the event.
Drives to pick up food and delivers it to our distribution site in a timely manner each month.
Info, communications & mobilization org networking for social justice. Open to collabs.
Supplies water straight to us at every event — keeping our community hydrated.
Donates prepared food so that we can serve people to eat in the park!
Empowers City Heights residents through education and mobilization so all families can thrive.
We also host community resource vendors who provide wraparound support for families at every distribution.
Community Resource Vendors — On-Site Every MonthFood pantry, health clinic services, and self-sufficiency programs for families in City Heights.
CalFRESH enrollment, immigration support, and wellness resources for community members.
Youth services, family support, and community engagement programs across the region.
A trans-led 501c3 empowering TGI+Latinx immigrants through advocacy, community building, and social services.
Connecting Black women more deeply in San Diego through community, resources, and sisterhood.
Additional partners rotate monthly to meet the evolving needs of our community. Interested in being a resource vendor? Reach out!
If you or your family would like to receive groceries at our next distribution, complete this short form. It helps us plan quantities and ensure there's enough food for everyone.
We welcome volunteers ready to support food bagging and distribution, partner organizations fulfilling service hours, and community members who want to help make each event run smoothly. Fill out the application and liability waiver to get started.
Interested in joining the monthly distribution as a sponsor? Whether you can provide food, water, supplies, or funding — every contribution directly impacts the families we serve in City Heights. Apply now to join our community of givers.
Want to donate food on distribution day? We welcome your generosity. Follow the process below so we can receive and organize your items efficiently.
Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park
3975 Wightman Street, San Diego, CA 92105
3975 Fairmount Ave
San Diego, CA 92105
Eventbrite registration: 4455 Wightman Street, San Diego, CA 92105
12 PM – 1 PM · Free · All families welcome
Vehicle pick-up and walk-up both available.
July 10 · August 14 · September 11
October 9 · November 13 · December 11
In 2025, our community came together in powerful ways. Thanks to your generosity, partnership, and volunteer spirit, we hosted six food distributions — each one providing essential support to our neighbors.
We also welcomed community resource vendors who showed up on the second Friday of each month at Jeremy Henwood Park to offer services, information, and care to families across City Heights. Your presence made these gatherings more than distributions — they became moments of connection, dignity, and shared resilience.
Looking ahead to 2026, our monthly distributions returned to Jeremy Henwood Park beginning in March, in partnership with I Love a Clean San Diego, our dedicated community collaborator, for our relaunch event — now expanded with music, performances, and a community-centered Art Exchange.
Bring a piece of art — a drawing, painting, poem, photo, or handmade item — and exchange it with someone else in the community. It's a simple, joyful way to share creativity and celebrate the many talents within our neighborhood.
Register HereA welcoming space where community members come together to bag and share fresh, locally sourced food — with care, intention, and compassion.
"Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food — and a community that cares. Join us on the second Friday of each month as we turn service into celebration."
Everything you need to know before you visit. Can't find your answer? Reach out to us directly at info@ascendtials.org.
ASCENDtials is actively seeking volunteers, sponsors, and community members who believe in the power of collective action.
