The core work of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank involves mobilizing resources to redirect rescued food and grocery items to individuals and families in need. The Food Bank also helps with other hunger-fighting initiatives, such as our CalFresh Awareness Program, where Food Bank staff help to guide people who may qualify for CalFresh benefits through the application process. This Food Bank story covers what people can and can’t buy with CalFresh benefits.
While 2020 and 2021 were difficult years for everyone, it was especially hard on older adults and people with underlying health concerns. Early in the pandemic, Amazon teamed up with the LA Regional Food Bank, offering to deliver food to high-risk individuals who were advised to stay home– donating time and free delivery services during a period of increased need. Now, two years later, the program has distributed roughly 275,000 food kits. That’s more than 5,000,000 pounds and translates to roughly 4,170,000 meals.
My Friends House is one of the nearly 600 partner agencies that receive food and products from the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. In a recent interview, My Friends House Executive Director Judy Starr shared that about 75% of their inventory comes from the Food Bank. The following individuals are the beneficiaries of the generous support from the community. This blog post tells the stories of some of the people helped by My Friends House and the LA Regional Food Bank.
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has been featured in local, national, and international news stories hundreds of times in the past few years, and 2022 was no different. This blog post embeds seven of the television spots from 2022 that covered topics like the All-Star Legacy Project with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a national CBS Evening News story featuring Food Bank partner agency Friends in Deed, and multiple local news stories about inflation in Los Angeles County, and the impact on the work of the Food Bank.
Canned food drives come to mind, particularly around the holidays, as a way to support food banks. While food banks and food pantries do appreciate all the donated food they can get, there are other, perhaps more efficient ways, to support these organizations. Since most of the food is donated by growers, manufacturers, and wholesalers, and since the small percentage of food purchased by food banks is purchased at wholesale prices, monetary contributions or volunteer support help food banks the most. Making a cash donation, volunteering your time, involving your company or employer in matching gifts, raising awareness on social media, and hosting fundraisers are incredible ways to fight hunger.