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Trucks from the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank began unloading at 6 a.m. Thursday morning in the Holy Family Giving Bank parking lot. Vehicles were allowed to line up beginning at 8:30 a.m. and continued through noon. Using all current Covid-19 protocols, volunteers placed emergency food boxes in the trunks of cars as they pulled up with cars lined up along Oak Street.
According to the Food Bank, their food distribution has increased by 145% compared to the pre-pandemic period. 168 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 137 million meals, have been distributed since the crisis started in March, including 1.9 million emergency food boxes distributed to families and individuals (5.7 million individuals served in total) through partner agencies and direct “drive through” and Mobile Food Pantry distributions.
Food donations have increased by 140% since the pre-pandemic period. The Food Bank is filling the gap between food supply and demand by purchasing truckloads of food items at wholesale prices with $10.3 million of funds committed by LA County to date.
In a typical month before the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Food Bank provided food to 300,000 adults, seniors and children through their partner agency network and Food Bank direct distribution programs. The number of people served has increased markedly and is now estimated to be at more than 900,000 people served over the course of a month.
“The LA Regional Food Bank has been providing these drive-thru events throughout LA County since March of 2020,” said Michael Flood, President and CEO of the LA Regional Food Bank. “We work with event co-sponsors, such as LA County, and other community partners to determine the location of our drive-thru distributions which are designed to help take some pressure off of our 700 Partner Agencies who also provide food assistance throughout the entire County.”
“I am grateful to the LA County disaster workers, to our team here at the Food Bank and also to our incredible volunteers who make distributions like this one possible,” said Lila Ramirez, Programs Manager for the LA Regional Food Bank. “We have incredible volunteers who help us complete our critical work, and anyone interested in signing up can visit LAFoodBank.org/volunteer.”
For people seeking food assistance to to the Food Bank’s food pantry locator at https://www.lafoodbank.org/find-food/pantry-locator/
The Food Bank is currently recruiting volunteers (18 years and older) for on-site volunteer shifts, Food Banks distribution sites and partner agencies located throughout LA County. For more information visit https://www.lafoodbank.org/volunteer/
CalFresh: Call 866-613-3777 or visit GetCalFresh.org to apply
Grab & Go Meals for School-Aged Children: Contact your local school district for information
Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program: Call 888-942-9675 to apply
Senior/Older Adults: For meals from LA County and City of LA call 800-510-2020
211 LA County is the information & referral agency. Visit www.211la.org or call 211
