Friends In Deed – A Food Pantry Fighting Hunger and Food Waste
Friends In Deed – A Food Pantry Fighting Hunger and Food Waste
The Food Pantry based in Pasadena has been in operation for over 40 years
Since 1978, residents of the Pasadena area and surrounding cities have been able to head to the intersection of Washington and Los Robles Avenues to find Friends In Deed. Since 2008, Friends In Deed joined forces with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank as a partner agency to fight hunger in the community.
Partners in Fighting Hunger
Friends in Deed consists of several services that are available to the community, including the food pantry. Led by Food Pantry Director Tim Nistler, Friends In Deed serves an average of 440 families per week, providing them with fresh produce, canned goods, and meats to last a family for around a week or two.
With the rising demand for food assistance, there were days when Nistler was unsure whether they’d have enough food to go around or places to store it. Thanks to a capacity grant from the Food Bank, Friends In Deed was able to get an 8’x10’ freezer and a similar-sized refrigerator that has allowed them to continue serving the community.
“Those things have been huge,” said Nistler. “They have allowed us to bring in so much more food, especially on the produce side. As long as I’ve been here, fresh fruits and vegetables have always been a huge thing, and by having those, we’ve been able to give out more produce.”
A Food Pantry That Helps Supplement CalFresh Benefits
Maurice has been attending the Friends In Deed distribution on a weekly basis for around four years. Living with his diabetic sister, and both on fixed incomes, going to the grocery store became a hardship. Even with CalFresh benefits, the money was not lasting as long as it used to. Thanks to the food he receives at Friends In Deed, Maurice can eat for the whole week.
“Normally, I would be broke,” Maurice said. “I have at least $15 in my pocket in case I see something that they don’t have here, I can run to the store and get it, and have bus change in my pocket to go back home.”
- RELATED: How Long do CalFresh Benefits Last?
‘Doing Together What We Cannot Do Alone’
For Nistler, getting involved with your local food bank or food pantry is a no-brainer. Starting off as a volunteer, Nistler knew he wanted to help his community. Soon enough, he was hired full-time and now holds strong relationships with regular food recipients, as well as those that need temporary food assistance, seeing firsthand the need in the community.
Like Nistler, volunteers and supporters at Friends In Deed see the need in the community, and proudly carry out their motto, “Doing together what we cannot do alone.”
“It is stupid for people to be hungry, and for so much food to go to waste,” Nistler said. “Help fight food waste, fight hunger, and support places like the LA Regional Food Bank.”
There are several ways you can get involved with the Food Bank, including a one-time or monthly donation, volunteering, or sharing stories on social media. Together, We Feed LA.
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