The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has been fighting hunger for half a century and, in that time, has provided more than 1.6 billion meals to children, seniors, families, and individuals throughout Los Angeles County. In the Food Bank’s first year, roughly 100,000 pounds of food was distributed, and the operation ran out of a 200-square-foot garage. The donated food was transported with a ten-year-old truck. Now, the Food Bank operates two major warehouses, manages a fleet of dozens of trucks and provides more than 100 million pounds of food annually.
50th Anniversary Celebration
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Celebrates 50 Years
Fighting Hunger for Half a Century
Timeline
1973
Tony Collier, a cook at the Grandview Foundation in Pasadena begins collecting and distributing food. Collier received more food donations than anticipated and shares the food with organizations helping the hungry. The Grandview Food Bank is established and operates out of a 200 square foot garage on Marengo Avenue. For daily operations, the Food Bank uses a 1962 truck, which had been donated.
1977
A group of local residents, impressed by Collier’s work, forms the first board of directors and incorporates the Food Bank as a nonprofit corporation, Community Food Resources, Inc. Former Food Bank driver, Elijah Smith, becomes Executive Director and the operations move in to a 2,600 square foot building—formerly a dry cleaners—on Fair Oaks Boulevard.
1983
Doris Bloch becomes executive Director and the Food Bank moves to a 10,000 square foot warehouse in El
Monte. The Brown Bag Program and Emergency Food Assistance Program are launched, and the Food Bank affiliates with America’s Second Harvest, now Feeding America.
1989
The newly-named Los Angeles Regional Food Bank launches a capital campaign to build a 55,000 square foot distribution center at 1734 E. 41st Street in Los Angeles. The Food Bank distributes 18 million pounds of food and expands local food solicitation efforts significantly
1994
The Food Bank responds to the second major disaster in three years, the Northridge Earthquake, by keeping food flowing to charities serving people in need.
2000
The Food Bank launches its second capital campaign to pay for the purchase and retrofit of two buildings at 1701 and 1727 E. 41st Place. The new buildings add 41,000 square feet. Michael Flood becomes the new Food Bank President/CEO.
2008
Food From the Bar, an annual, month-long fundraising and volunteering effort, begins in Los Angeles. The campaign is a friendly competition including legal firms, law schools and legal services organizations to see who can raise the most funds, acquire the most food and work the most volunteer hours for the Food Bank.
2011
The Food Bank launches a successful capital campaign that significantly upgrades the refrigerator and freezers allowing an increase in the distribution of more fresh produce and more nutritious food, including frozen poultry.
2012
The Mobile Food Pantry begins to distribute food across Los Angeles in places that do not have a brick and mortar food pantry. A refrigerated truck brings a combination of produce and perishable goods sourced from the USDA and food donors and is set up in a farmer’s market format.
2016
The NFL Rams return to Los Angeles and partner with the Food Bank for the first annual Taste of the Rams event. Rams players and top LA Chefs teamed up for a tasting event in an effort to raise funds and awareness to fight hunger. The Food Bank celebrates delivering its Billionth Meal.
2020
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank responds to the largest food insecurity surge in the history of the Food Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roughly one-tenth of the population of LA County was receiving food assistance from the Food Bank during the pandemic. Thanks to the Food Bank’s donors, volunteers and supporters, food distribution was ramped up rapidly to fight hunger throughout Los Angeles County. The Food Bank also acquires a new 260,000 square foot facility in the City of Industry, allowing for more food to be distributed.
2022
The $165 million Building Hope Campaign is completed. The campaign funded expansion of programs and the acquisition and renovation of the City of Industry facility.
50th Anniversary Blog Posts
The 2020’s Through Today at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Learn more about the work of the LA Regional Food Bank in the early 2020’s, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fighting Hunger in the 2010’s: The Impact of Food Insecurity and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s Response
Learn more about the supporters, volunteers and key players in the formation and growth of the Food Bank.
The 2000’s at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Including the Great Recession
Learn more about the supporters, volunteers and key players in the formation and growth of the Food Bank.
The Food Bank in the Late 1980’s and Early 1990’s
Learn more about the supporters, volunteers and key players in the formation and growth of the Food Bank.
The Food Bank in the Late 1970’s and Early 1980’s
Learn more about the supporters, volunteers and key players in the formation and growth of the Food Bank.
The Early Days of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Learn more about the supporters, volunteers and key players in the formation and growth of the Food Bank.
Founding the Food Bank: Who Was Tony Collier?
Learn more about the founder of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Tony Collier.
Celebrating 50 years of service
1.6 Billion
meals provided since 1973
96%
of all revenue goes back to programs
