Both Maria and Irma love volunteering at a food pantry, but feel rewarded by helping their neighbors in need.

When volunteering at one of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s Distribution Centers, one is able to sort, glean and pack food for the hundreds of thousands of individuals who seek food assistance throughout LA County. With just three hours of their time, volunteers help speed up the process of getting food out to our communities.

However, when volunteering at one of the hundreds of Food Bank partner agencies, volunteers can see firsthand the impact that a food box can have on our neighbors. For many, receiving a food box and other groceries can mean the difference between having a roof over their head and the consistency of having food on the table. 

At one of the distributions for the RJC Foundation in Panorama City, one of the hundreds of proud partner agencies, two volunteers, Maria and Irma, love to attend for a chance to provide food assistance to their neighbors in need. They see firsthand the need in their community, both at the distribution and in their neighborhoods. 

In addition to providing food assistance, the RJC Foundation offers its neighbors programs and workshops to help them thrive in their communities, programs that Maria has taken part in, and where she learned about the opportunity to volunteer for the food distribution. 

After the distribution events, Maria will take home a box of food, taking some items for herself, but also keeping in mind her own children who need assistance, as well as some neighbors who can’t make it to the distributions due to their work schedule. Meanwhile, Irma loves volunteering, and if she is offered a food box, she gladly takes it home and shares the items with her friends, family and neighbors who need them. 

Distributions like these help communities, like the Panorama City community, thrive. Individuals from all walks of life deserve proper nutrition to have better futures. Consider making a financial contribution to the Food Bank and supporting our neighbors.