MAOF has served the Los Angeles community for 60 years and has held food distributions for around a decade

For 60 years, the Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) has been serving the Los Angeles community, helping individuals from all walks of life thrive thanks to the several services they provide. Around 10 years ago, MAOF began its partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and together, began providing food assistance to the community.

Together, We Feed LA

According to Mayra Gutierrez, Supervising Case Manager- Senior Services at MAOF, the organization was providing food to 150 families before the pandemic, primarily seniors as they held senior activities at the center. As the pandemic took its toll on the livelihoods of families in the surrounding communities, MAOF saw their numbers spike to 600 families. Despite life returning to normal in some communities, the impact of inflation is being felt among low- and middle-income families, with 300 individuals turning to the MAOF food pantry for food assistance.

With the demand they have seen through the years, Gutierrez credits MAOF’s partnership with the Food Bank as a crucial partnership as she sees the impact the food distribution makes on individuals in the community.

“Without the LA Regional Food Bank, we wouldn’t be able to provide the services that we provide here at MAOF,” Gutierrez said. “It is through the LA Regional Food Bank that we gather all the food that we distribute.”

Helping Relieve Family Budgets

As a senior living on a fixed income, Maria Perez can’t afford the hike in price for something as simple as napkins. Something she used to purchase for $0.99, now costs $2.99. Every time she has to go to the grocery store, she panics as she knows there’ll be something new she can’t purchase.

Attending the food distribution at MAOF helps Maria save money on food items and perhaps pay for other things like medications or napkins.

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A Community Effort

Just down the street from MAOF is a retirement home for nuns. At the height of the pandemic, as the line for food assistance grew, the women began paying attention to the line in front of their homes. Despite living on a fixed income, the nuns decided to donate to MAOF, something that has been “contagious” around the neighborhood as schools have also held food drives to benefit the organization.

“It truly is a community effort,” Gutierrez said.

If you would like to support programs like the one offered at MAOF, please consider donating to the Food Bank today.