The Food Bank has a high efficiency rate, making every dollar count in feeding our neighbors.

When you donate to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, your support sets off a powerful chain of events that brings hope and nourishment to our neighbors in need. Every dollar makes an impact, but have you ever wondered exactly how your donation helps fight hunger in Los Angeles County? 

When considering donating to a nonprofit organization, many turn to Candid and Charity Navigator to determine if an organization is highly efficient, respected, and well-rated. The Food Bank is among the highest-rated, with a 96% efficiency rating. For reference, any large nonprofit organization with an efficiency rating of more than 80% is considered a great nonprofit.

Giving to the LA Regional Food Bank

It all begins with your generosity. Whether you give online, through a workplace campaign, or by mail, your contribution is put to work immediately. Due to the Food Bank’s efficiency, 96% of every dollar donated goes directly to programs that help feed children, families, seniors, and individuals facing food insecurity.

Sourcing Food and Resources

With the support of the community, the Food Bank acquires food through multiple channels:

• Wholesale and retail partnerships that allow us to purchase food at significantly reduced costs. Additionally, local grocery stores connect with the Food Bank to help redirect good, nutritious, and healthy food away from landfills. In 2024, 29.4 million pounds of food were rescued because of this program and distributed to neighbors in need.
• Donated goods from farmers, grocers, and manufacturers.
• Government programs that expand access to nutritious staples. Programs like the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) help provide meals to older adults who are struggling to make ends meet each month. 

The Power of Volunteering

Once the food arrives at one of the Food Bank’s distribution centers, it goes through careful sorting and inspection. Volunteers and staff ensure that every item is safe, high-quality, and ready for distribution. Volunteers who sort, pack, and distribute food help the Food Bank save money, whereas otherwise, the Food Bank would have to pay full-time staff to do the work. 

The food is stored in one of the three Food Bank warehouses, where it is maintained at cool temperatures to preserve its freshness.

Fighting Hunger in the Community

From the warehouse, food travels to a network of more than 600 partner agencies across Los Angeles County, including food pantries, religious organizations, senior centers, shelters, and after-school programs. Your donation helps fuel the trucks, stock the shelves, and empower these local organizations to serve their communities directly.

Agencies like FISH of West Valley in Chatsworth are an example of the hundreds of partner agencies that serve our neighbors. FISH not only provides food assistance to the housed community but also serves the unhoused, providing them with hygiene supplies and ready-to-eat foods.

The Finish Line of Your Donation

Once the food is distributed by one of the Food Bank’s partner agencies, it reaches the home of one of our neighbors who may not have known where their next meal was coming from. 

Individuals like Derrick, a former food recipient at Covenant House in Los Angeles, who aged out of a women and children’s shelter when he turned 18. When he didn’t know where to go, or when he would eat his next meal, Covenant House opened its doors. Now, Derrick is a residential building manager and is helping those who are going through similar ordeals get through the day.

The Ongoing Impact of Your Support

Donating to the Food Bank doesn’t just provide food for today; it creates a ripple effect of health, stability, and opportunity. With reliable access to nutritious meals, families can stretch their budgets, children can focus on learning, and older adults can maintain their independence.