The LA Regional Food Bank teamed up with ABC7, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Subaru, ESPN LA 710, generous shoppers, and donors for the 10th Annual Feed SoCal Food Drive Event providing 3.6 million meals for our neighbors in need.

Feed SoCal kicked off May 27 and continued through June 30. Throughout the campaign, community members made a difference for those who need us most by making generous donations. The campaign benefits the following Southern California food banks: Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, Feeding America Riverside/San Bernardino and Food Share and Ventura County’s Food Bank. 

Due to the pandemic and its related economic downturn, food banks see more people experiencing food insecurities due to cuts in salaries and jobs. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern California regional food banks have increased food distribution by more than 70%, reaching over 200,000 people every week. As of July 1, the LA Regional Food Bank alone has had food distribution increase by 125% compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Food Drive

As part of the Food Drive, ABC7 and our regional food bank partners hosted four drive-thru food collection events on Friday, June 18 and June 25. The drive-thru collection sites provided ABC7 viewers and the local community an opportunity to donate their non-perishable food items or to purchase a $5.00 food bag at their local Albertsons, Vons or  Pavilions stores. The food donations will be shared and distributed with various food banks and food pantries in local communities. 

 

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On Friday, June 18, the Food Bank celebrated valued partnerships at the Food Drive event at Albertsons in Gardena. Essential food and financial donors showed their invaluable support, as well as many generous shoppers who stopped by to give bags of non-perishable items and to meet their favorite ABC7 TV personalities.

Of course, no Food Drive event would be complete without the help of our volunteers. Volunteers helped set up, transport food donations from the community and their shopping carts to bins, which were loaded onto a Food Bank truck that will be used immediately at various food distribution sites on behalf of the Food Bank and our Partner Agency Network.

Summer Hunger in LA County: Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation

1 in 4 children in Los Angeles County faces food insecurity, and many rely on school meals, which are not available when they are on summer break. Both childcare and access to healthy meals are challenging for parents who struggle to make ends meet. The Feed SoCal Campaign is seasonably timed with the end of the school year, shedding light on child food insecurity and helping food banks when families are especially vulnerable.

A big, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has already supported the Food Bank’s efforts to provide food resources to those who need help here in LA County. The Food Drive event raised $77,225 and more than 28,000 pounds of food. These combined will help provide up to 3.6 million nutritious meals to the 2 million food-insecure children, older adults, families and individuals in LA County.

If you and your family weren’t able to make it out to this year’s Feed SoCal event and want to get involved, we encourage you to give monthly. Just $23 per month provides a year’s worth of food to a neighbor in need. Together, #WeFeedLA.