About Moms Against Poverty
Learn more about our work and who we are.
Our work
In the United States
Overview
The United States, despite being the world's largest economy, has over 38 million people living below the poverty line. Income inequality is at its highest among G7 nations, exacerbating the wealth gap between America's most affluent and its poorest families.
Poverty goes beyond lacking income and resources; it results in hunger, malnutrition, limited access to education and health care, and severe mental and emotional trauma. We collaborate with over 40 Partner Schools, Community Centers and Shelters nationwide to provide food, hygiene, basic provisions, and education. We also offer humanitarian relief to victims of natural disasters in the U.S.
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Mateo’s Story
A Brighter Tomorrow for Mateo in San Leandro
At nine years old, Mateo had already learned how to be “the helper.” Living with his father and older sister in a small apartment in San Leandro, he noticed when things became harder. When his father’s construction hours were reduced, the cupboards grew emptier, and dinners became simpler, sometimes just rice and leftover vegetables. Mateo missed the weekends when his father cooked big pots of stew, filling their home with warmth and laughter. Lately, the kitchen had grown quieter, and the worry in his father’s eyes was hard to ignore.
In 2025, Mateo’s story began to shift. Through Moms Against Poverty’s food distribution program in the Bay Area, families like Mateo’s received weekly food boxes filled with fresh produce, dairy, grains, and protein. When their first box arrived, Mateo carefully unpacked oranges, spinach, chicken, beans, bread, and eggs onto the kitchen counter. That evening, his father made his signature stew again. The familiar aroma returned to their apartment, and for the first time in months, the table felt full again.
For Mateo, the food boxes meant more than meals. They meant energy to focus in school, fewer worries during the day, and the comfort of seeing his father carry a little less of the burden. In December, another moment of joy arrived through the holiday toy drive. Mateo chose a bright blue soccer ball for himself and art supplies for his sister, and that evening, he ran outside to play with friends, laughter echoing across the park.
The support extended beyond Mateo’s family. Grateful for the help they received, his father began volunteering at monthly food distributions when his schedule allowed, helping other families just as theirs had been helped.
By the end of the year, Mateo’s home felt steadier. The kitchen was busy again, mornings began with breakfast, and evenings were filled with homework and conversation. Mateo no longer carried the weight of worry on his small shoulders. Instead, he carried a soccer ball and the dream of joining a team one day.
40+
Partner schools
For over 15 years, Moms Against Poverty has made a meaningful difference in the lives of families across the Bay Area and beyond. Since our inception, we've partnered with more than 40 community and nonprofit organizations to provide hope and nourishment to those in need. Our philosophy is rooted in dignity, ensuring every family and child we serve feels respected, valued, and confident in the support they receive. Whether providing hunger relief, essential items, educational resources, or other critical services, we approach every interaction with compassion and care. Our goal is not only to meet immediate needs, but to empower families and strengthen communities.
Hunger Relief & Basic Provisions
Food Pantry Program
Our food pantry is designed to feel like a neighborhood grocery store, giving families the freedom to choose the foods that best meet their needs. Families who visit our food pantry don't receive a pre-packed box. Thanks to the support of our donors and volunteers, our shelves stay stocked with a variety of choices, empowering families to select the foods that best meet their needs while preserving their dignity.
Grocery Box Program
Our Grocery Box program delivers nutritious food to hundreds of families in the Bay Area every week, in partnership with local schools, churches, and community centers. Each year, we deliver over 250,000 pounds of food, including fresh produce, to low-income families struggling with the high cost of living in this region.
Holiday Helping Hand Program
Our Holiday Helping Hand program provides over 1,500 low-income children in the Bay Area with toys at Christmas every year. Delivered alongside nutritious food for families' holiday meals, these gifts allow less fortunate families to share some joy together every winter.
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Hunger Relief & Basic Provisions
282,779 lbs of food to 12,522 families
6,692 essential items to 2,200
Over 2,000 toys distributed
218 gift cards provided
109 warm blanks give away
Education
Led 6 workshops for Afghan Refugee girls in Sacramento
Provided 250+ school supplies to children in the Bay Area.
Supplied computers to MISSSEY, a CA-based organization devoted to youth impacted by commercial sexual exploitation
Health Care & Wellness
Delivered health education and blood pressure checks to children, in partnership with Samuel Merritt University nursing students
Hunger Relief & Basic Provisions
141,500 pounds of food distributed to 18,567 families
100 families affected by the floods in Half Moon Bay were provided with food
9,100+ items of basic provisions distributed to 6,500 children
1,800+ toys, 230 blankets, and 200 gift cards provided to children and their families as part of our Holiday Helping Hand Program
80 gift cards provided for Afghan Refugee families in El Cajon, California
46 Halloween costumes donated to a California elementary school as part of our Halloween Costume Drive
Provided grocery gift cards to the families of Afghan Refugee students
Education
2 Danesh Education camps held in Sacramento, 1 in Roseville, and 1 in Davis
Over 250 Afghan refugee girls (ages 8–17) participated
Topics included robotics, programming, tech, art, electricity, circuits, electrical motors, sensors, goal setting, and role modeling
Grocery gift cards provided for the girls to take home to their families
Hunger Relief & Basic Provisions
154,000 lbs of food distributed to 11,500 families
1,200 boxes or backpacks of non-perishable food items given to needy families
14,000+ basic provisions distributed to 4,406 families
600 chickens distributed in Contra Costa County with Food for Thought
2,000 toys, 235 blankets, 300 gift cards, and 100 hygiene kits given through Holiday Helping Hand
314 Halloween costumes donated
375 gift cards distributed for Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day
4 workshops held with 30 attendees
120 families in Oakland, CA received health and hygiene supplies
School supplies and health education (including blood pressure checks) provided with Samuel Merritt University nursing students
Essential school supplies distributed with East Palo Alto Academy Foundation
Back-to-school donations provided through Castro Valley partners to Marshall Elementary and incoming 9th graders
At Oakland’s Misssey event, fruits, vegetables, 50 hygiene kits, 20 blankets, 20 pillowcases, 50 water bottles, and 20 pairs of socks were distributed to women and gender-expansive youth who have been sexually exploited
Hunger Relief & Basic Provisions
Thousands of grocery boxes totaling over 225,000 pounds of food
donated to families in 39 schools across California, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C.
235 x $25 gift cards allocated to over 235 children ages 15-18 for
Christmas
$200 gift cards donated to Afghan refugee families
40,000 hygiene products such as shampoo, soap, sanitizers, and
masks donated to families in 39 schools across California, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C.
Over 1,600 toys were distributed over the holidays
Hunger Relief & Basic Provisions
Supported over 100,000 children and families across California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
Donated over 140,000 lbs. of food and 40,000 hygiene products (shampoo, soap, sanitizer, masks)
Delivered 20,000 meals to underprivileged children in Washington D.C. with D.C. Central Kitchen
Supplied an additional 400 meals via Miriam’s Kitchen and 10,000 meals through San Francisco Unified School District
Distributed hundreds of laptops, tablets, headsets, and educational resources to 1,000+ children in transitional housing
Provided 1,500 blankets, whole turkeys, gift cards, and toys to families during the holidays
Launched programs to address food insecurity, education gaps, and hygiene needs worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic
Your Impact: Profound Change for Impoverished Children!
