What It’s Like to Volunteer at the Food Bank
What It’s Like to Volunteer at the Food Bank
Thousands of individuals choose to volunteer at the Food Bank every year. Find out why.
Volunteering at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is considered one of the top volunteering opportunities in LA County. With just three hours of your time, you’re helping feed hundreds of thousands of individuals who turn to the Food Bank each month for food assistance.
When someone volunteers at the Food Bank, they’re helping glean and sort through food and products donated to the Food Bank by growers, wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers; about 10% of food distributed is purchased by the Food Bank.
The Food Bank has two warehouses where it hosts volunteers – its new City of Industry Distribution Center, and its historic South Los Angeles Distribution Center. Volunteers can also choose to help in distributions throughout the County or volunteer at one of our hundreds of partner agencies.
The City of Industry Experience
In late June 2024, the Food Bank inaugurated its new City of Industry Distribution Center, a 256,000-square-foot warehouse that will allow the organization to maximize its reach, and serve LA County more efficiently.
Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Food Bank raised sufficient funds to purchase and renovate the facility. With the renovations, two new production rooms for volunteers to pack shelf-stable items were added: the S. Mark Taper Foundation Food Rescue Center, where volunteers will glean fresh produce, and the Goodman Family Foundation Volunteer Center, where volunteers get a first glimpse of the Food Bank’s work.
Learn more about the Building Hope Campaign
Why I Chose to Volunteer at the Food Bank
Kevin Daley retired about seven years ago. Coming from a fast-paced work environment, he wanted to find the perfect activity to keep himself busy. After giving his hobbies a try, he felt that there was still something missing. So, he decided to look into organizations that were doing good in the community, and that’s when he found the LA Regional Food Bank.
Daley came to the Food Bank to volunteer, and since then, has returned on an almost weekly basis.
“[The Food Bank] has a good cause, and that’s what I was really looking to support,” Daley said.
More Stories from the LA Regional Food Bank
A Legacy of Giving: Roberta Stone’s Commitment to Fighting Hunger in Los Angeles County
Through volunteering, gifts from her IRA, and including the Food Bank as a beneficiary, Roberta is helping neighbors have access to nutritious food.
More Than a Necessity: Why Diaper Assistance Matters to Families in Los Angeles County
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The Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantries Help Seniors, like Maria Estela, Stretch Every Dollar
Learn how the Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantries help seniors like Maria Estela access nutritious food, stretch fixed incomes, and maintain independence.
The Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry – Meeting Neighbors Where They Are
Learn more about the Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry, and how its distributions help provide food and nutrition security where it’s needed most.