The average food price has skyrocketed due to corona virus pandemic and recent events. The FAO Food Price Index has saw a fresh record high of nearly 160 points.
A shocking 60% price increase over the 2014-2016 base period shows that hunger is a public health issue of critical importance.
The most vulnerable demographic of society is taking the brunt of this economic pressure. Now more than ever, low-income families must rely on California Free Clinics, California Food Stamps, and food banks.
This guide will list helpful information about Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California and organizations that can help curb hunger, how you can use their services and where to find them.
What is a Food Bank?
Food banks are non-profit charitable organizations that assist financially vulnerable populations by distributing food. Their main objectives is to help low-income individual and families by providing food.
They will work through other 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations like food pantries and soup kitchens. Sometimes they distribute the food themselves via mobile pantry.
Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California serves as a single collection and distribution point for food donations. They operate much like a for-profit food distributor, but they do not use retailers. Instead, they may use church food banks, charities, and other non-profit food pantries to provide food to the people to fight hunger.
How the Food Bank Works?
- 1. Food is donated to a food bank.
- 2. Its stored in a big climate controlled warehouse.
- 3. Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California distributes food to various non-profits for distribution.
- 4. Food reaches to who are in need.
Who can use Food Banks?
Many Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California and food pantries are locally run, with others managed at the state or federal level. Qualification to receive nutrition assistance from food programs depends on the type.
There are different qualifying requirements, but many food banks have none. Just show up during their days and times of operation, and they will help if they are able.
Here are the tips while .
- It is highly advisable to call ahead before you arrive!
- Ask about any eligibility or documentation requirements they may have.
- If required, bring all required documents when you use their services.
Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank was the first one established in California in 1972 and is the second oldest in the US. It operates multiple distribution centers across the United States.
Impact of Second Harvest Food Bank is huge, It helps 85,000 Santa Cruz residents avoid missing meals and empty stomachs.
Second Harvest Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California is easing the burden of impossible choices for families between food, housing, medicine, and other necessities.
World Harvest Food Bank
World Harvest provides food, basic staples and living essentials to people who are at risk of hunger and the needy. If you find yourself in the situation that you need immediate food assistance, or are threatened by not having sufficient food to supply you or your family's basic needs, WHFB is here to help you.
For working families or individuals whose financial intake isn't sufficient to cope with daily food requirements, you can access a cartful of groceries, an average of 150 pounds of food, with a flat rate donation of $30 after a brief registration process.
However, if you are not able to cover this amount, we will provide you with the same benefits in exchange for your time as a volunteer for one part time day, 4 hours. Your donation helps us cover the costs of food transportation, basic maintenance and management service for WHFB, allowing us to function and make available our food items to you.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (213) 746-2227 to book your appointment.
Address :
3100 Venice Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90019.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 06:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 06:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 06:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 06:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 06:00 PM
- Sat: 08:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
St. Mary's Food Bank
The St. Mary's Food Bank was a first local food bank ever established in the United States in 1967. The St. Mary's Food Bank mission is food security and hunger relief for all Americans.
The St. Mary's distributes millions of pounds of food to the hungry each year, It also operates its own food pantries to allow allow people to access food directly from their warehouses.
It also offer specialized after-school programs for kids and career training for adults.
Church Food Bank Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California
Church Food Bank Food Bank in Los Angeles County, California serve a hot, nutritious lunch 365 days a year, even in the face of terrible weather and ever-increasing demand.
Church Food Bank welcome anyone who is in need of a meal, regardless of the person's circumstance, with no questions asked. It also provide showers, laundry, mail, I.D. assistance and other essential services.
Seventh Street Church Food Bank
On the fourth Saturday of every month our Food Bank team distributes groceries to the wonderful people in the community. Come and be a part of the team that sets it all up starting at 8:30am and by 10:30am we begin to lovingly serve our community.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (562) 434-3408 to book your appointment.
Address :
668 N Obispo Ave,
Long Beach, CA 90814.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
- Thurs:
- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Long Beach
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
Feeding America
John van Hengel, the founder of St. Mary's Food Bank, went on to create a national organization for food banks. The Feeding America organization is a leader in the nation's domestic hunger-relief efforts.
The Coronavirus epidemic put even more pressure on America's most vulnerable citizens. Feeding America has helped serve 6.6 billion meals to date.
The Feeding America have grown through donations and other charitable efforts to be able to deliver much-needed food via food rescue, hunger relief programs, and disaster response.
Hawaiian Gardens Food Bank Inc
The Hawaiian Gardens Food Bank is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the community and changing lives by helping people help themselves.
Hawaiian Gardens Food Bank provides food and other resources to families in need. During challenging times when providing the essentials becomes difficult, the Hawaiian Gardens Food Bank provides hope to many families through its nourishment program, job skill training and self-enrichment workshops.
The food pantry is open Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. During these times you can receive one bag of food, which is about 10 items.
For more information please call us at 562 860-9097.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (562) 860-9097 to book your appointment.
Address :
21411 Norwalk Blvd,
Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
The Salvation Army Burbank Corps
The Salvation Army of Burbank Corps is a place where whole families can find something for everyone in. We are committed to serving all who come to us from Burbank, North Hollywood, Sun Valley, and Tujunga. We invite you to read over the many services we provide and if you have any questions about any of the services we offer, please feel free to give us a call.
Services Offered:
• Emergency Financial Assistance
• After-School Programs
• Food Assistance and Pantry
• Enrichment Workshops
• Referrals
• Life Skill Classes
• Family Ministries
• Youth Programs
• Holiday Assistance
• Multicultural Programs
Please contact us or visit our website for more information on our programs.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (818) 845-7214 to book your appointment.
Address :
300 E Angeleno Ave,
Burbank, CA 91502.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Tues: 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Wed: 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Thurs: 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Fri: 10:00 AM - 01:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB)
Through weekly distributions in high-need neighborhoods, our Produce Pantry provides participants with an average of 20-30 pounds of seasonally sourced fruits and vegetables, supplemented by healthy staple foods. Produce Pantry distributions are open to anyone in need of assistance.
Food is distributed at 26 sites in 10 towns throughout Sonoma County, plus eight locations in Lake County. Visit our website to find a location near you.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (707) 523-7903ext to book your appointment.
Address :
,
Los Angeles, CA 90291.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Tues: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Wed: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Thurs: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Fri: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Sonoma
- Lake
Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB)
The Groceries to Go program provides anyone in need of assistance a monthly offering of government commodities supplemented by the REFB’s fresh produce, bread, and donated shelf-stable groceries. There are 29 Groceries to Go distribution sites in 14 towns throughout Sonoma County.
Visit our website to find a location near you or contact us for more information.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (707) 523-7903ext to book your appointment.
Address :
,
Los Angeles, CA 90291.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Tues: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Wed: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Thurs: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Fri: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Sonoma
San Antonio Food Bank
The San Antonio Food Bank provides food and grocery products to more than 530 partner agencies in 16 counties throughout Southwest Texas. In FY2015, the San Antonio Food Bank provided nearly 62 million pounds of food. The mission of the SAFB is to fight hunger in Southwest Texas through food distribution, programs, education, and advocacy.
The Mobile Pantry runs daily (Monday – Friday, but is available on select weekends as well) throughout our 16 county service area. On the day of the event, the Mobile Pantry comes filled with a variety of produce, frozen and refrigerated product to provide supplemental food assistance to qualified families and individuals. Each Mobile Pantry vehicle can comfortably provide 200 families with up to 50 pounds of food.With continuing food insecurity and demand for food assistance, the Mobile Pantry allows the SAFB another passage to reach families and individuals in hard to reach areas. The Mobile Pantry provides hungry individuals access to a greater array of fresh, nutritious and healthy products.
To find out when the Mobile Pantry will be in your area or for other resources you can access, please call our client services at 210-431-8326 .
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (210) 337-3663 to book your appointment.
Address :
,
Los Angeles, CA 90291.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Atascosa
- Bandera
- Bexar
- Comal
- Edwards
- Frio
- Guadalupe
- Karnes
- Kendall
- Kerr
- La Salle
- Medina
- Real
- Uvalde
- Wilson
- Zavala
Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB)
Harvest Pantry provides fresh fruits and vegetables to pregnant women and families with children 0-6 years of age from a mobile pantry, which travels to high-need sites throughout our community. Every week, Harvest Pantry helps reduce the incidence of hunger and childhood anemia by pairing produce rich in iron and vitamin C and healthy staple foods with nutrition education.
Food is distributed at seven sites throughout Sonoma County. Please contact us for more information on location, time and eligibility.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (707) 523-7903ext to book your appointment.
Address :
,
Los Angeles, CA 90291.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Tues: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Wed: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Thurs: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Fri: 12:00 PM - 08:30 PM EST
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Sonoma
Los Angeles Regional Foodbank
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is a nonprofit charitable organization that has been serving the disadvantaged of our community since 1973. We are at the heart of a charitable food distribution network that includes over 1,000 charitable agency sites throughout Los Angeles County. A voluntary board of directors provides guidance and oversight for Food Bank activities.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (323) 234-3030 to book your appointment.
Address :
1734 E 41st St,
Los Angeles, CA 90058.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
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- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Los Angeles
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
Westside Food Bank
Westside Food Bank is an independent, non-governmental, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in 1981, which provides food to social service agencies on the Westside of Los Angeles County. Our food often enables low-income people to stay in their homes, deterring the problem of homelessness, because it saves them from having to make the agonizing choice between paying for rent or food when they can’t afford both. Receiving our food also enables our 70 member-agencies to devote more of their own resources to other ways of helping clients achieve self respect and economic independence. The Food Bank acquires as much food as possible through donations, but we must still purchase approximately half of our food from wholesale merchants at the best volume prices we can obtain. Purchasing food allows us to consistently provide our member agencies with the most nutritious food possible. The Food Bank also receives produce from a statewide “Farm to Family†distribution program. Our Extra Helpings Westside Program, which recovers food that would otherwise be thrown away from bakeries, restaurants, caterers and food suppliers, provides about one third of the food we distribute. Thanks to the economies of scale and our efficient operation, we can acquire five pounds of food for each donated dollar.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (310) 828-6016 to book your appointment.
Address :
1710 22nd St,
Santa Monica, CA 90404.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
- Thurs:
- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Santa Monica
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
Foodbank of Southern California
The Foodbank’s mission is to provide basic sustenance and proper nutrition to the community’s hungry citizens and to ensure that no individual go hungry, not even for a single day. As long as there are hungry children, families and seniors in our community, The Foodbank of Southern California intends to be to major force in the fight against hunger. The Foodbank will continue to: expand distribution services to charitable organizations not currently in the agency network; sustain and expand the base of wholesome nutritious food donors; and receive feedback from our constituent agencies that client’s well-being, health and/or educational educational outcomes are improving.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (562) 435-3577 to book your appointment.
Address :
1444 San Francisco Ave,
Long Beach, CA 90813.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
- Thurs:
- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Long Beach
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
MEND Emergency Food Bank
MEND’s Emergency Food Bank is unique in that it is the largest in Los Angeles providing direct distribution to clients in need, and one of the largest in the state of California. Volunteer Food Rescue Program Drivers collect food from numerous supermarkets, churches, schools, businesses and other organizations in the area. Much of the food is distributed to more than 60 smaller pantries and charities in the area that also care for low-income people, about 30 every week. The Emergency Food Bank distributes more than a quarter of a million pounds of food a month both onsite and through its community outreach , helping to feed well over 21,000 people every month, as well. Emergency food boxes provide a generous, nutritionally balanced three-day supply of emergency food, designed to help the families make ends meet, but not to create a dependency on MEND. They are distributed three mornings each week and every Saturday morning at the MEND Center, as well as four times a month from satellite operations. In addition, hot meals are served four times a week. Each applicant for the service is personally interviewed to assess needs, verify information and evaluate any special dietary requirements. MEND’s Foodbank and Kitchen regularly receive “A†ratings from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for adherence to food handling standards. Meal Program: Tuesday: (Homeless services only) Breakfast 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m. 3 p.m., Thursday: Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Friday: Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Food Box Distribution: Tuesday: (Homeless Services Only) 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon; Homeless Meal and Food Box Distribution: Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (818) 686-7300 to book your appointment.
Address :
10641 N San Fernando Rd,
Pacoima, CA 91331.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
- Thurs:
- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Pacoima
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
Valley Food Bank
Established in 2001, the Valley Food Bank first began operations in North Hollywood at a facility shared with the organization’s thrift store and San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission operations. With the steady growth of all three programs and an increasing demand for food assistance, the Valley Food Bank relocated its operations and warehouse in 2009 to larger facility located in Pacoima, California. The Valley Food Bank is well positioned to carry out the objectives of its Fighting Hunger – Feeding Hope program. As an outreach of the Rescue Mission Alliance, the Valley Food Bank is backed by an organization with over 39 years of sound fiscal management, continuous growth, experience, and positive client outcomes. It is a member in good standing with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and "Certified Excellent" through the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM).
Services provided :
- Prepared Foods
- Fresh Produce
- After School Snacks
- Senior Meal Delivery
- Emergency Box
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (818) 510-4140 to book your appointment.
Address :
12701 Van Nuys Blvd Ste A,
Pacoima, CA 91331.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
- Thurs:
- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Pacoima
Help Residents of Counties:
- Los Angeles
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally run program that helps obtain badly needed food for low-income people and families. SNAP program is also known as Food Stamp.
SNAP benefits in Los Angeles County supplied approximately 40 million Americans in 2018. It is the most extensive nutrition program administered by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and is a vital component of the social safety net for low-income Americans.
In 2017, roughly 9.2% of American households obtained SNAP benefits, with about 16.7% of all children living in homes benefiting.
The program had used paper "stamps" or coupons in the past – worth $1 (brown), $5 (blue), and $10 (green). These were bound into small booklets of various denominations, to be torn out individually and used in single-use exchanges.
Free Food Programs Summary
| Acronym | Name | For Moms & Kids | For Seniors | For Food Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAP | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Yes | Yes | No |
| TEFAP | The Emergency Food Assistance Program | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CSFP | The Commodity Supplemental Food Program | No | Yes | Yes |
| CACFP | The Child and Adult Care Food Program | Yes | Yes | No |
| NSLP | The National School Lunch Program | Yes | No | No |
| SBP | The School Breakfast Program | Yes | No | No |
| SFSP | The Summer Food Service Program | Yes | No | No |
| WIC | Women, Infants, and Children | Yes | No | No |
FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?
Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.
2. What kind of food is at a food Bank?
Specifically, Los Angeles County food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. How do you qualify for Los Angeles County food bank assistance?
To qualify for food bank assistance you must provide:
- Current state-issued ID
- Social Security numbers of all household members
- Current electric bill to prove residence
- Bank Statement for income verification