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Los Angeles Regional Foodbank

lafoodbank.org

Mission
The mission of the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank is to mobilize resources to fight hunger in our community.

To fulfill our mission we must:

Source and acquire food and other products and distribute to needy people through charitable agencies or directly through programs;

Energize the community to get involved and support hunger relief;

Conduct hunger education and awareness campaigns and advocate for public policies that alleviate hunger.

Our vision is that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles County.

Background Los Angeles Regional Foodbank 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 nearly 900 charitable agency sites in Los Angeles County. A voluntary board of directors provides guidance and oversight for Foodbank activities.

Feeding America
The Los Angeles Regional Foodbank is a partner with Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) Feeding America is the nation's largest non-governmental, domestic hunger relief organization. As a partner, we follow the guidelines put forth by the network and are subject to monitoring. Los Angeles Regional Foodbank upholds the highest standards of charitable food distribution. We are also connected to and cooperate with food banks throughout the country.

Los Angeles Regional Foodbank is the only Feeding America affliated food bank in Los Angeles County.

For a slide presentation on "How the Foodbank Works," click here.

For a list of frequently asked questions, click here.

If you would like to get on our e-mail list, to receive our quarterly newsletter Shelf Life click here.

History

The Foodbank Story
Pasadena resident, Tony Collier, founded Los Angeles Regional Foodbank in 1973 at the Grandview Foundation.

Collier, a cook with a charitable organization, received more food donations from local businesses than he anticipated and shared them with other organizations feeding the hungry. Four members of the community impressed with Collier's work formed a voluntary Board of Directors to create the Foodbank.

From its beginning in a two-car garage, the Foodbank moved into a converted 2,600 square foot dry cleaning facility on Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena. In 1983, it moved to a 10,000 square foot warehouse in El Monte.

To reflect its service to all areas of Los Angeles County, the organization changed its name to Los Angeles Regional Foodbank in 1986. In 1989, Los Angeles Regional Foodbank moved to its present location: a 55,000 square foot facility specifically designed as a food bank.

The Foodbank Today
The year 2009 marks the Foodbank's 36th year of service to the residents of Los Angeles County. Over the years, the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank has grown in size, service and scope. Today the Foodbank provides food for nearly 900 member agency sites including abused and abandoned children homes, battered women shelters, senior centers, local food pantries, soup kitchens, AIDS hospices and more. In 2008, our volunteers, financial supporters, product donors and agency network made it possible for us to distribute 39 million pounds of food for the hungry in Los Angeles county.

Operations

From Warehouse to Table
Food is donated to Los Angeles Regional Foodbank from local and national food manufacturers, wholesalers, supermarkets, restaurant suppliers, packers, processors and brokers. Once a shipment of food is received at our warehouse, it is sorted, inspected, and if necessary, repacked for distribution to participating charities in Los Angeles County.

We sort, inspect, repackage and distribute thousands of pounds of food each day with the help of dedicated volunteers. Last year, 13,000 volunteers contributed over 60,000 hours of service.

Charities order and pick up the products they need from the Foodbank on a weekly basis. They then serve the food to needy families, children and individuals free of charge. Through these charities, over 674,000 people receive healthy meals each year.

Foodbank Milestones

1973
Tony Collier, a cook at the Grandview Foundation in Pasadena, begins collecting and distributing food. Collier receives more food donations from local businesses than anticipated and he shares the food with other organizations helping the hungry. Collier begins the first search for a larger facility by moving the small operation into a two-car garage.

1977
A group of local residents, impressed by Collier’s work, forms the first Board of Directors and incorporates the Foodbank
as a separate nonprofit corporation, named Community Food Resources, Inc. The operation moves into a 2,600 sq. ft.facility in Pasadena.

1983
Doris Bloch heads the Foodbank after its move to a 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse in El Monte. The Foodbank, distributing 3 million pounds of food annually begins to
rapidly expand food collection efforts and program development. The Brown Bag Program and Emergency Food Assistance
Program are launched and the Foodbank affiliates with America’s Second Harvest.

1989
The newly named Los Angeles Regional Foodbank launches a capital campaign to build a 55,000 sq.ft. distribution center at 1734 E. 41st Street in Los Angeles. The Foodbank distributes 18 million
pounds and significantly expands local food solicitation efforts.

1994
The Foodbank responds to the second major disaster in three years, the Northridge earthquake,
by keeping food flowing to charities serving people in need. Total food distribution increases to 22 million pounds.

2000
The Foodbank launches its second Capital Campaign to pay for the purchase and retrofit of
two adjacent buildings at 1701 & 1727 E. 41st Place. The new buildings add 41,000 sq.ft. and
allow for the Food Rescue Program to move on-site.
Total Food Distribution increases to 32 million pounds as Michael Flood becomes the new
Foodbank Chief Executive.

2005
The Foodbank launches several new programs including the Kids Café PowerPack and Summer
Meal Program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, the Agency Delivery Program, and the Rapid Food Distribution Program which significantly increases the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables distributed. In addition, the Foodbank
continues to publish hunger reports to educate the public on the extent of local hunger.

2006
Volunteer support reaches more than 9,000 volunteers donating their time
during the year. The BackPack Program is launched to provide hungry school-age kids with a backpack full of food for the weekend. Individual, corporate
and foundation support grows, and the Tony Collier Legacy Society is established to provide planned giving options to Foodbank donors.

CanstructionLA - The inaugural Los Angeles Canstruction event was hosted by Westfield Fashion Square. www.canstructionla.com

2007
The Foodbank sees more than 13,000 people volunteer their time to help fight hunger.

Partners Preventing Hunger provide funding for one million meals.

2008

Foodbank commemorated its 35th year of service to those in need in Los Angeles County.

Foodbank launches countywide food drive for the holiday season.

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