Agency Capacity Grant Allows Food Bank to Purchase Needed Equipment for Partner Agencies in the Fight Against Hunger

Recently, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank received a larger capacity grant, allowing the Food Bank to purchase items for agency partners to help increase an organization’s capabilities to distribute food to those in need. The Food Bank’s agency network consists of over 600 nonprofits, including churches, volunteer or community organizations based throughout LA County that help the Food Bank distribute food and essential items for specific programs.

With this grant, the Food Bank can purchase items, including transportation and cold storage such as refrigeration and freezers. A lack of cold storage solutions can limit the capabilities of nonprofit organizations primarily providing fresh food products. Fresh fruits and vegetables are highly sought after at distributions as they can help provide the nutrient-dense, well-balanced meals.

Having reliable access to cold storage can also result in unintended food waste as perishable food items such as dairy, fresh produce and meat have set shelf life guidelines. To reduce food waste and help address food insecurity, Senate Bill 1383 requires that by 2025, California will recover 20% of edible food that would otherwise be sent to landfills to feed people in need.

What is considered edible? Please download our Shelf Life Guide to empower you and your family to help us fight food waste >

“Lots of the families that we serve are really looking for these fresh food items but if the agency doesn’t have the capacity to store it, there is a food safety issue,” said Elizabeth Cervantes, LA Regional Food Bank Sr. Director of Agency Relations. “Agencies are so happy to partner with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in this collaboration because this equipment truly helps them distribute more food efficiently and help the families that they serve.”

“We are so appreciative of our partnership with the LA Regional Food Bank,” said Carlyn Oropez, Operations Director of LA Boys & Girls Club, a LA Regional Food Bank partner agency. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the Food Bank, that hundreds of families and households every week are having enough to eat because of this partnership.”