Overview: Mama's Day

Mama’s Day is a culinary tasting event that raises money to support Mama’s Kitchen, San Diego’s biggest nonprofit provider of medically tailored home-delivered meals.

It’s the time of year to celebrate our Mama.

When it comes to giving back to San Diego, Mama’s Day has been one of the bigger events on the calendar each year.

Mama’s Day is a culinary tasting event that raises money to support Mama’s Kitchen, San Diego’s biggest nonprofit provider of medically tailored home-delivered meals. This year’s 35th annual event will take place at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront (1 Park Boulevard) on Saturday, May 16.

The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and runs until 9:30 p.m.

Those in attendance on May 16 will enjoy tasty offerings from a number of area culinary partners while taking in bay views. All proceeds from Mama’s Day directly benefit Mama’s Kitchen’s medically tailored meal service program and ensure that more critically ill San Diegans can gain access to no-cost, medically tailored meals. 

Among the culinary participants on this evening will be:

In 2025, Mama’s Day went past its fundraising goal, raising $170,000 to fund more than 34,000 meals to be delivered across San Diego. For Mama’s Day 2026, Mama’s Kitchen is hoping to raise $158,000 to fund 31,600 meals.

Mama’s Kitchen was established in 1990 by San Diego caregiver Laurie Leonard, who enlisted volunteers to prepare and deliver free meals to neighbors who were sick with HIV/AIDS and unable to cook for themselves. 

Those benefiting from Mama’s Kitchen are grateful

Those individuals who have been helped by Mama’s Kitchen are quick to point out its benefits.

After releasing Mama’s Kitchen’s new, expanded menu in January, Elena (name changed for privacy) shared, “The new meals are great! I had never eaten tofu or quinoa before, but I have been trying everything, and I am pleased with everything. Every time I eat Mama’s Kitchen meals, I think, ‘I so appreciate you guys because if we didn’t have you, we would be hurting!’”

John (name changed for privacy), a client living with chronic kidney disease, had been on a service with Mama’s Kitchen for about three months when he said, “I went to my kidney specialist, and he was so happy that my labs had finally stabilized. I let him know I had been on Mama’s Kitchen services, like he suggested, and he was so happy and encouraged me to stick with it.

“I’ve really liked the conversations I’ve had with the registered dietitian at Mama’s Kitchen as well. She helped me understand how my meals support me. I know I can’t reverse my condition, but knowing the right nutrition to keep it stable means the world to me.”

Making a difference for many San Diegans

Mama’s Kitchen chief executive officer Eva Matthews noted that Mama’s Day is one of the most important drivers of their mission each year, helping to fuel the delivery of hundreds of thousands of meals to San Diegans facing serious illness. 

“In 2025 alone, Mama’s Kitchen provided nearly 900,000 meals to our community, each one designed by a registered dietitian to support health and stability,” Matthews said.

“Events like Mama’s Day make that possible. They secure the financial resources to ensure that our services remain free to clients, while also allowing us to meet growing demand. But beyond the scale, the impact is deeply personal. It means someone undergoing treatment has the nourishment they need to stay strong. It means fewer impossible choices between food and other essentials.

“Mama’s Day helps turn that kind of support into a reality for thousands of individuals and families across San Diego.”

The ability to help others around San Diego would not be possible without the many people volunteering their time and effort for a good cause.

“Volunteers are essential to our daily operations at Mama’s Kitchen, contributing more than 27,000 hours each year to ensure meals reach the people who need them most,” Matthews said.

“They are in our kitchen preparing and packaging medically tailored meals, and out in the community delivering those meals directly to clients’ homes. That work is incredibly hands-on and deeply human. For many of our clients, a volunteer delivery is not just about nutrition; it’s also a moment of connection and care.

“The consistency, compassion, and dedication of our volunteers in all areas of our operation are what turn our mission into a reality,” Matthews added.

If you have not been to this event before, Matthews said to expect a worthwhile evening in which guests can enjoy unlimited tastings from some of the region’s top restaurants, along with drinks, music, and an inviting, welcoming atmosphere and lovely view of the bay.

“What sets it apart is the purpose behind the experience,” Matthews said. “Every element of the evening connects back to our mission, providing medically tailored meals at no cost to individuals and families facing serious illness.

“It’s a night that brings together incredible food and a powerful sense of impact. You leave knowing that your participation helped ensure someone in our community has the nutrition they need to heal and thrive.”

Tickets can be purchased here.