Through volunteering, gifts from her IRA, and including the Food Bank as a beneficiary of her will and trust, Roberta is helping ensure neighbors have access to nutritious food. 

Roberta Stone’s support for The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank began after a moment of deep reflection. While watching a segment on hunger in America, she was moved by the reality that many families, children, parents, and grandparents face food insecurity every day. Afterward, she began researching how she could help and found the Food Bank.

“I thought, how can I help? What can I do?” Stone recalled. “I found that the LA Regional Food Bank had the best ratings in the country for delivering the product, for leadership, for planning, and I love all of that.”

“I grew up knowing that I have to give back, and it’s only right,” Stone said. “This is just a small part of what I can do.”

For Stone, the mission is personal. She thinks about children who may wake up without breakfast or go to school without lunch, as well as older adults and families across Los Angeles County who benefit from the Food Bank’s work.

“When I think about kids and parents and grandparents, everyone that I can help in my little part of the world, it makes me very happy,” Stone said.

One way Stone supports the Food Bank is through her individual retirement account. For eligible donors, giving through an IRA can be a tax-advantaged way to support charitable causes while helping more neighbors access nutritious food. Stone values that her gift can make an impact on the community while also being a practical part of her financial planning.

“I love to give money through my IRA so that it is a tax advantage for me and another advantage for the Food Bank,” Stone said.

Stone has also chosen to extend her commitment into the future by naming the Food Bank as a beneficiary in her will and trust. Through estate planning, supporters can create a lasting legacy that helps sustain the Food Bank’s mission for years to come.

“I want to continue my support,” Stone said. “And so I’ve made the Food Bank a beneficiary in my will and trust.”

In addition to giving financially, Stone volunteers her time, including helping distribute food to older adults at a senior center. Whether lifting groceries into shopping baskets or making a gift through her IRA, Stone sees every act of support as part of the same purpose: helping people with dignity and care.

Stone hopes for a future without hunger. Until then, she plans to continue doing her part.

“I hope that the LA Regional Food Bank is no longer necessary,” Stone said. “I hope that hunger is eradicated in this country. This is what I’ve been doing for these years, and I will continue to do for the rest of my life.”

Supporters like Stone show how thoughtful giving can make a lasting difference. Through IRA donations, estate gifts, and volunteer service, donors can help the Food Bank continue serving neighbors across Los Angeles County.

To learn more about supporting the Food Bank through an IRA donation or making a future gift through your estate plan, visit the Food Bank’s Planned Giving page or contact Debra Beadle at dbeadle@lafoodbank.org.