Newlife Church in Pomona serves hundreds of families through its weekly food pantry

The inflation in prices of everyday goods hasn’t been as high as they are now for nearly 40 years. Families and individuals are having to revisit their budgets, or cut costs where they can in order to keep up with the rising costs of rent, gas, food, or medical expenses.

Without the food assistance from the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and its more than 600 partner agencies, many individuals, children, and seniors are at risk of going hungry, missing school, work, or medical appointments, and risking their livelihoods.

Newlife Community Church is one partner agency in Pomona that is working to help its community through their time of need, whether it be with food, hot meals, classes, or words of encouragement.

Nutritious choices for a healthy lifestyle

For Robert Delgadillo, attending the Newlife Church food distribution has become a weekly ritual. After having a stroke and having open-heart surgery, he needed help covering costs, especially food.

While shopping at a thrift store across the street from Newlife with a friend, they saw a line of people and asked what was going on. After learning about the church’s food pantry, Delgadillo and his friend decided to attend, and since then, they make the trip from Monrovia to Pomona, getting there just in time for the 6 AM walk-through, and staying for the 11 AM food distribution start time.

Coming to Newlife every week helps Delgadillo stretch his wallet and cover other costs, while also receiving healthy food items to help his new lifestyle.

“Fresh fruits, fresh eggs, fresh milk, meats, the salads – it helps tremendously because it cuts on your food bill,” he said.

 

The food pantry of choice for families in need

The recent inflation in everyday essentials has impacted millions of individuals in Los Angeles County, including seniors living on a fixed income. Sheila Johnson is just one of those individuals who seek food assistance weekly at Newlife Church in order to help make ends meet. Here, she receives the food that will help maximize her budget, and she’s able to pick up food for her grandkids whom she babysits from time to time.

“Produce, everything is very expensive,” Johnson said. “I’m on a limited income and that way I can afford to eat fresh vegetables.

“I like coming here because they have a variety of different stuff that you like, and I like it because you can choose it,” she added.

Just like Johnson and Delgadillo, Annette Martin has turned to the Newlife Church food pantry for food assistance. While she and her husband are living on a fixed income, finances are tight. And even more so as they have custody of their teenage granddaughter.

“It helps tremendously; we depend on it,” Martin said. “I come here every Friday because I get great things to eat; I get vegetables and everything I need.”

The engagement and participation from our community allow the Food Bank and our partner agencies to continue our pandemic relief efforts as many families in our community continue to recover from the pandemic and its related economic hardships. Together, #WeFeedLA.