Church of the Redeemer Brings Hope and Food Assistance to Its Neighbors

The Baldwin Park food pantry serves hundreds of families looking for food assistance.

For more than 30 years, Church of the Redeemer has been a beacon of hope in its community, serving families with compassion, dignity, and love. In partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the Church has expanded its food assistance efforts, working so that no one goes hungry.

Meeting the Needs of a Struggling Community

Many families in the community face significant financial challenges, especially during hard times. Church leaders see firsthand how food insecurity forces families to make difficult choices between paying for groceries, rent, or utilities. The Church’s food distribution program steps in to fill that gap, serving households that include individuals, seniors, people with disabilities, and families experiencing sudden emergencies.

Cecilia Bernal, Director of the Church’s food pantry, shared, “If they didn’t have this, they’d have to use money for food instead of gas or electricity.”

The Church of the Redeemer doesn’t just wait for families to come to them. Volunteers use their refrigerated truck to deliver food directly to homebound seniors and individuals living with disabilities or mental health challenges. This personalized outreach ensures that everyone in need has access to nutritious food, regardless of their circumstances.

A Community Effort

What began with a single SUV carrying food for about 35 families has grown into a large-scale operation that now serves around 240 families at each distribution. Thanks to the Food Bank, the Church is able to stock up with deliveries and supplement with truckloads of fresh and shelf-stable food for its neighbors.

Through grants made available through the Food Bank, the Church has also received critical resources like a refrigerated truck, industrial freezers, and pallet jacks—equipment that makes food storage and distribution more efficient and food-safe.

Bernal emphasizes that this work would not be possible without the generosity of donors who support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. “I just want to say thank you, not just for me, but for all of these people who are coming today. We can’t do it without you.”

Partnerships like the one between Church of the Redeemer and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank highlight the power of community-driven solutions to hunger. By donating or volunteering, you can help ensure that families across Los Angeles have access to the nutritious food they need.