In East Los Angeles, Door of Hope Ministries has been committed to caring for its community, including its food assistance program. Their food pantry initially started as part of their Sunday School, where the children would bring in canned food, which would then be distributed. Since then, their food pantry has evolved, and Door of Hope has partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for over 25 years.
Door of Hope Ministries President and CEO Shirley Melendez shared that being in a partnership creates the positive of everything. The Food Bank also believes collaboration is at the heart of the fight against hunger. In Los Angeles County, an estimated two million people face food or nutrition insecurity. Working together enhances our ability to address various community needs, bringing a sharper focus to the fight against nutrition insecurity. By collaborating, we raise awareness and leverage resources, enabling a more efficient mobilization against hunger.Â
Many families share that they don’t know what they’d do without food distributions at Door of Hope. One community member who credits Door of Hope with helping her change her life around is Josie Casarez. She says that 20 years ago, she was not in a good place. However, she was able to get a job, an apartment and back on her feet with the help of Door of Hope Ministries, whose motto is to turn hope into reality. The Food Bank is proud to partner with Door of Hope and all our collaborators across the County to help ensure that no one goes hungry.Â
If you are in the position, please donate to support organizations like the Food Bank and our partners like Door of Hope.