Anyone who lives in San Diego has noticed the tents. The woman walking the sidewalk with an overflowing shopping cart, the man huddled under a dirty sleeping bag, or the teenager riding the city all day with nothing but an old bicycle and a backpack.

It’s uncomfortable to see. It makes us ask questions about our own lives: What makes one person deserve food and shelter, while another sleeps on the sidewalk? Whose responsibility is it to say something or make it change?

We are Neighbor to Neighbor San Diego, a grassroots group of a few dozen volunteers who believe everyone deserves dignity, care, and compassion. For years, we’ve shown up consistently in San Diego’s neighborhoods and homeless encampments with no red tape, no questions asked, and no judgment.

We are not a registered government nonprofit: No grant funds or paid staff, and no bureaucratic overhead. We are neighbors helping neighbors. Every meal, every medical kit, every book, every act of kindness comes from our own hands and pockets. Now, we’re asking for your support so we can continue and grow our work.

We would love for you to read on to learn more about the amazing people we serve and how you can make a difference. However, if time is short, here are some easy ways to help:

$36 = 12 nutrient-dense meals for homeless neighbors, delivered along with compassionate conversation by volunteers who show up every week, no exceptions

$80 = 20 medical kits for at-risk neighbors with life-saving first aid supplies, delivered by caring volunteer medical professionals

$125 = 50 books for at-risk San Diego first graders who have often never known the excitement of owning their own books to read at home

$450 = Supply our neighborhood market for a month, providing free household necessities for dozens of neighbors who are living paycheck to paycheck (Looking for a way to prevent homelessness? This is it.)

Why We’re Different

Too often, people facing hunger, homelessness, or poverty are asked to prove their worthiness before receiving help. They’re told to fill out forms, share personal details, or travel miles to an office where they don’t feel safe, just to access resources that should already be available.

We do things differently. We go to the people where they are: on the streets, in encampments, in neighborhoods that are too often overlooked. We listen and learn their names. We remember their preferences. And we come back every single week.

The meals, supplies, and books we provide matter. But what matters even more is the human connection and the chance to be treated with respect and seen as someone of worth.

We do our best to make a tangible difference in the lives of San Diegans who are struggling because we recognize we are all one string of bad luck, one mental health diagnosis or sudden loss away from needing help ourselves.

Our Five Service Efforts

1. Meals With Dignity

For 3-½ years, we’ve cooked and delivered at least 60 meals every week to homeless encampments across San Diego. (That’s 187 weeks and 11,220 meals and counting.) These aren’t generic sack lunches – they’re warm, nourishing meals that honor cultural traditions and personal needs, cooked by our volunteers.

We never forget Eric, a cheerful man in his sixties who has been open with us about his mental health struggles. He’s vegetarian, and every week we make sure he has a meat-free meal. It’s a small act, but it tells Eric that he matters, that his preferences matter, and that he deserves dignity.

Meals cost us about $675 per month for around 240 meals. The need keeps growing, and food costs are rising. Your donation can help ensure we never show up empty-handed.

“Building community and addressing the pressing issues of our times can often feel impossible. As a cook for Meals With Dignity, I have learned that a small group of dedicated people can make a tangible difference. Every week, we come together to cook and feed the unhoused members of our community. Our grassroots action provides a free and nutritious meal that not only fills stomachs but recognizes the dignity of the most vulnerable members of our community. Our small team at Feed the People demonstrates the power and impact of local activism.” ~ J., Neighbor to Neighbor Volunteer

2. Emergency Medical Aid

Food alone isn’t enough. Soon after we began delivering meals, we realized many of our unhoused neighbors urgently needed hygiene and first aid supplies. We added 60+ first aid kits to our weekly deliveries.

Kits include life-saving basics such as water, bandages, gauze, wipes, antibiotic ointment, and alcohol pads. Whenever possible, we also offer specialty supplies, including menstrual products, socks, blankets, and Narcan.

Every kit is delivered by our volunteer medical professionals, who offer on-site care and help connect people with additional resources – no payment required. We distribute about 240 kits per month, with an average out-of-pocket cost of $400, thanks to frequent supply donations.

3. Neighbor’s Free Market

The more tents we visited, the more we became convinced that we needed to take action for people who might wind up homeless, but weren’t there yet. The Neighbor’s Free market was born.

Once a month, we set up an outdoor “store” on the corner of Imperial and Euclid. Everything is free. Families facing tough choices – like choosing between paying rent or buying diapers – can pick up essentials such as toilet paper, toothpaste, dog food, diapers, and soap.

If you’ve ever wondered how to prevent homelessness, efforts like the Neighbor’s Free Market are a key part of the answer. This initiative helps keep people housed, employed, and stable. It costs $450 to $600 per month, plus $500 rent for our small storage and packaging space.

“A lot of our vulnerable/immigrant neighbors have expressed how much it means to be able to have access to everyday items. Especially in these difficult times, where going out into the world can be scary. People forego trips to the store altogether. Building consistency and trust with the communities this action serves has been integral to our neighbors experience. People are oftentimes surprised to learn that the items are free and are delighted to walk down the tables to select their items. The people then spread the word and bring their friends and families to the Free Market. It’s always beautiful to see this chain reaction happen organically. The mood is always light and people walk away with their shopping bags full, relieved of one less thing to worry about.” ~ R., Neighbor to Neighbor Volunteer

4. Caring for Our Streets

As we spent time in neighborhoods where residents often experience financial challenges and the vast majority of properties are rentals, we noticed a trend. The streets were often littered with trash and debris, and the messier the neighborhoods became, the more hopeless and frustrated our San Diego neighbors became.

We believe a clean, cared-for neighborhood changes how people feel about themselves and their community. That’s why we sponsor Adopt-A-Highway cleanups every month, clear alleys of trash, and sometimes help residents directly when they can’t manage alone.

This work is primarily about boots on the ground doing the hard work. It requires only about $100 per month for cleaning supplies and transportation, but it has a huge ripple effect in reducing neglect and boosting pride.

5. Tell a Different Story

We want prevention as much as relief. That’s why we’ve given out 1,200 free books to first graders in schools with high minority populations. Every child receives two books featuring Black authors or characters of color, because representation and education matter.

We are grateful to have access to a wholesale book supplier through one of our educator volunteers, which allows us to buy titles in bulk at heavy discounts. For just $2.50 per book, your gift can put stories in the hands of children who may otherwise have none at home.

This program is especially urgent at the start of each school year, and we are gathering donations for our wholesale book orders now.

“As a teacher at our school, I was so happy to see Neighbor to Neighbor come to campus and hand out free books to our students. The look of surprise and excitement on their faces was priceless—they really loved the visit and the books! It was inspiring to witness how these volunteers showed such strong commitment to our students’ education and how much they care about supporting the community. Their visit made a real, positive difference for everyone.” ~ O., Teacher whose classroom received books from Neighbor to Neighbor

How You Can Help

Our promise to you: Every dollar you give will go directly to serving our neighbors. We're 100% volunteer-run, and we’ll share regular updates showing exactly how your generosity is making a difference in real people's lives.

Your gift helps meet real, immediate needs in our community. Here’s what your donation can do:

Whether you give once or become a monthly donor, you’ll help us keep showing up week after week with food, supplies, and compassion.

Why Give to Neighbor to Neighbor San Diego?

We aren’t a charity with overhead and red tape, and we’re not waiting for the government to step in. We’re people just like you who want to make a difference, and we’ve been proving it for years. Every dollar you give is stretched as far as it can go, and you can trust that it will go straight to people who need it most.

When you donate, you’re not just giving money – you’re joining us in building a San Diego where everyone is seen, valued, and cared for. You're saying that every person matters, and you're helping create a San Diego where no one is invisible.

More than once, someone we serve has told us they were considering suicide, but they didn't want us to find an empty tent, so they chose to stay. This is the power of consistent, unconditional care.

Together, we can do more good in San Diego. Will you please join us?

How You Can Help Beyond Donating

The fastest, easiest way to join in is to donate dollars to this campaign. However, we welcome your involvement in other ways as well.

“I am a 71-year-old native of San Diego with 7 years of lived experience of homelessness right here at home from 2009 to 2016; following termination of employment. I was introduced to Neighbor to Neighbor, where I found more care, support, knowledge and acceptance than what I received from the homeless service providers, family, friends and associates during my homelessness. I believe we are all ordinary people living out the scripts of our lives. Some of our scripts include life challenges which give us the opportunity to build the strength and expertise of survival.” ~D., Neighbor to Neighbor Volunteer

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Neighbor to Neighbor San Diego is a grassroots volunteer organization serving unhoused individuals, families facing financial hardship, and children in underserved schools throughout San Diego County. We are not a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are incredibly appreciated and efficiently used, but they are not tax exempt.