LOS ANGELES (CNS) - World Harvest Food Bank announced today it has acquired a refrigerated, repurposed truck to deliver up to 36,000 pounds of food to Los Angeles residents in Council District 10 who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHFB and Councilman Herb Wesson said they have launched a “guerrilla'' food delivery campaign to bring fresh, organic and quality food to families who can't get to the brick-and-mortar food bank.
“Our promise is to help everyone we can,'' said Glen Curado, founder of WHFB. “No child should go to bed hungry when there is enough food for us all. We know that our families have lost their incomes nearly entirely, that they have relatives sick with COVID-19 and that they have already lost loved ones to the pandemic.''
The truck will deliver grocery boxes primarily in Council District 10, but WHFB said it could expand to nearby areas.
Jessica Priego, a spokesperson for the WHFB, said the food bank is coordinating with Wesson's office to pinpoint where the groceries are most needed. Priego said they'll try to get as close to door-to-door service or within a block's distance to each residential area in need.
Priego said the food bank has seen a noticeable drop in its in-person visits at its headquarters, located at 3100 Venice Blvd.
“This program is about making life a little bit easier for those in need,'' Wesson said. “More than any time in my memory, people are in need. Many folks don't know where their next meal is coming from, and this program is for them.''
Two weeks ago, Priego said the food bank did a trial run with the repurposed truck at a centralized location, and what the organization found was people are afraid to go out during the pandemic, and some families are afraid federal immigration enforcement officers may be looking for them.
“We are trying our best to keep our doors open and to meet the need we are faced with,'' Priego said, adding the food bank has seen a 380% increase in visits this year. “One in four people living in L.A. County were already facing food insecurity before COVID-19. We need financial help.''
Wesson's office has been sponsoring grocery boxes for families since the start of the pandemic, totaling about 800,000 pounds of food, according to spokesperson Michael Tonetti, but the truck is a new addition to the food program.
WHFB is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. More information is available at www.worldharvestla.org.
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