November Community Resources & Holiday Support | Hunger & Homelessness Awareness
Hello SDVS Students, Families, and Staff,As we enter November and approach the holiday season, the SDVS Counseling Department would like to extend our warmest wishes to our students, families, and staff. We are sharing our November community resources and holiday support information a little earlier this year so families have time to explore available services, plan ahead, and take advantage of local events and support opportunities happening throughout the month.
As we reflect on what we are thankful for this season, we recognize that not everyone has consistent access to basic necessities such as food and safe housing. The holiday season can also bring additional challenges for individuals and families, including financial stress, food insecurity, housing instability, and emotional needs. Our hope is to help connect our school community with helpful resources and remind families that support is available.
Please note our upcoming Thanksgiving Break schedule:
- Thanksgiving Break: Monday, November 23 – Friday, November 27, 2026
- School Resumes: Monday, November 30, 2026
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week | November 16–22
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week is an opportunity to educate ourselves, bring attention to the challenges of poverty, and raise awareness about local resources for individuals and families in need. Whether you or your family are seeking assistance or looking for ways to get involved and support others in the community, we encourage you to explore the resources below.
Community, Hunger & Homelessness Resources
211 San Diego: A great starting point for finding local assistance with food, housing, emergency shelter, utility assistance, and other essential needs. You can also call: 2-1-1 (available 24/7) directly. Families can search for local food banks, Thanksgiving meals, holiday food distributions, food baskets, housing assistance, and community events.
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week: Learn more about hunger and homelessness, find helpful resources, and explore ways to get involved in your community.
Feeding America: A national network of food banks working to assist millions of individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. Visit their website to locate food banks and additional food assistance resources.
Feeding San Diego: Provides free food assistance throughout San Diego County, including food distributions and seasonal resources to help families prepare holiday meals.
Homeless Shelter Directory: Helps individuals and families locate homeless shelters and housing resources in their area.
Local Holiday Events & Community Assistance
Throughout November, local organizations and community agencies offer free meals, food distributions, Thanksgiving baskets, and other holiday assistance programs. We encourage families to check 211 San Diego, and local community organizations for upcoming events and opportunities throughout the county.
Please contact organizations directly to confirm event dates, locations, registration requirements, eligibility, and availability, as resources and details may change.
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Feeding San Diego What: November Holiday Food Distributions, When: Various dates and times throughout November
Please see below for more information on specific locations and times., Where: Various locations throughout San Diego County
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Penn Athletic Field Turkey Trot Race What: Turkey Trot Race, When: Saturday, November 14th, 2026 • 11:00 a.m. Where: Location: Penn Athletic Field 2555 Dusk Dr., San Diego, CA 92139 About: Take part in the Penn Athletic Field Turkey Trot Race! Turkeys will be awarded to 1st place, while pies will be awarded to 2nd and 3rd place winners for each age group. Parents participate for free. Participants ages 4–18 are welcome to join, $5 registration fee, To Register: CLICK HERE
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San Diego Rescue Mission: What: The Thanksgiving Community Meal, When: Saturday, November 14, 2026 from 1:00-3:00PM Where: Location: 120 Elm Street San Diego 92101 About: The Thanksgiving Community Meal is a place of welcome, where a hot meal, free medical care, giveaways, bag storage, pet sitting, prayer, and genuine community are waiting for you. If you are a man, woman, or family experiencing homelessness or food insecurity.
- SD Parks and Rec Annual Dinner with the bulls: What: Free Dinner Plate! Raffles! Entertainment! Games! Thursday, When: November 19, 2026, ALL AGES, Cost: Free!, Event Time: 5:00-8:00pm, Where: Location: Encanto Rec Center-6508 Wunderlin Ave San Diego, CA 92114
- Community Harvest Festival What: Offers a free community Thanksgiving event that includes Turkey distribution, Thanksgiving meals and arts and crafts for children. When: 11:00am-2:00pm, Saturday, November 21st, 2026 Where: Dolores Magdaleno Memorial Recreation Center 2902 Marcy Avenue, San Diego, CA 92113 About: Join us for a fun-filled Harvest Festival featuring jumpers, arts and crafts, entertainment, a turkey giveaway, snacks, and games! Come celebrate the harvest season with family and friends at Dolores Magdaleno Memorial Recreation Center!
Vista Teen Outreach What: Thanksgiving food baskets When: 10:00am-1:00pm, Saturday, November 21st, 2026 Where: TJ Crossman's Auto Repair 1148 N Melrose Dr #A Vista, CA 92083 About: The Community of Vista coming together to distribute 200+ Holiday Baskets which include all of the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal; from the turkey to the pumpkin pie, everything a family needs to celebrate the season. Also distributes a limited number of frozen turkeys during the Thanksgiving season.
*Thanksgiving items are available in limited quantities and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability is not guaranteed. Early arrival is strongly recommended.*
Vista Teen Outreach, combats hunger among teens in the community by providing on site school pantries and supporting other community partners. Their mission is to make nutritious food and resources available to students in need, empowering them to thrive academically and beyond.Mental Health & Wellness Resources
The holiday season can bring different emotions and stressors for students and families. We also want to remind our SDVS community that mental health and wellness support is available.
Care Solace –offers free, confidential assistance, available 24/7 to help connect families with mental health care, sustance use support and essential community resourses.
- Call: 888-515-0595 (Available 24/7/365, with multilingual support)
- Visit: https://www.caresolace.com/sdvs
Families can search for providers independently or select "Book Appointment" to receive assistance through video chat, email, or phone.
BrightLife Kids & Soluna
Free mental health and wellness resources available to California youth and families.
- BrightLife Kids: For children ages 0–12 and their families.
- Soluna: For youth and young adults ages 13–25.
Both platforms offer wellness tools, resources, and opportunities to connect with support.
Additional Wellness Resources:
- Teen Guide to Mental Health & Wellness
- Guía Para Adolescentes de Salud y Bienestar Mental
- Coping with Anxiety Card (PDF)
A Message to Our SDVS Community
As we move into the holiday season, we encourage everyone to look for small ways to support one another. Whether it's checking in on a neighbor, sharing a helpful resource, volunteering, donating, or simply offering a helping hand, small acts of kindness can make a difference. If you or your family need assistance, please know that you are not alone. We encourage you to explore the resources above and reach out to available community supports.
Although school will be closed during Thanksgiving Break, many community services and support programs remain available. We encourage families to plan ahead and save these resources for future reference.
Wishing our SDVS students, families, and staff a safe, healthy, and restful Thanksgiving Break!
With gratitude,