West Side Food Bank

Westside Food Bank addresses hunger in west los angeles county - an area that is home to over one million people. Our partner agencies operate Food assistance programs in culver city, inglewood, the lax area, malibu, santa monica, venice, west los angeles, and west hollywood. During the fiscal year july 1 2021 - june 30, 2022 Westside Food Bank distributed 4,783,972 pounds of nutritious Food - representing a more than 100% increase as compared to pre-covid numbers. Wsfb's service has expanded in proportion to the community need and during the year it added more than 10,000 square feet of warehouse space to address the increased need via a short term lease. The Food was acquired through donations and wholesale Food purchases. It was distributed via 60+ partner agencies and five direct service mobile Food pantries. The wide variety of nutritious Food reached over 72,000 households representing over 153,000 people including families with children, unemployed, underemployed, low wage, and middle wage workers, seniors on fixed incomes, adults and transition-aged youth experiencing homelessness, people with mental health conditions and chronic illnesses, college students and veterans and their families. In providing Food to vulnerable populations free of charge, wsfb's Food helps to prevent clients from becoming unhoused by allowing them to use their limited resources on housing and other basic needs. Over 45% of the Food distributed was fresh produce, supplemented by high protein foods, nutritious pantry staples, eggs, and other grocery items. Service to college students more than doubled through support of robust Food programs at several local colleges and universities, and wsfb provided Food to backpack programs at the santa monica and culver city untified school districts. 90% of the Food was distributed via Food pantries that provide free groceries while the other 10% was provided through shelters, transitional housing programs, community kitchens, k-12 and college Food distribution programs, and veterans' programs. Many of wsfb's member agencies offer additional services includingemployment training, childcare, counseling, referrals, recoveryprograms, as well as parenting and money management classes to helpclients become more economically independent.

In october 2021, Westside foodbank held 'hunger walk' a community engagement event. As part of this virtual walk-a-thon program over 400 participants walked in their own neighborhoods to raise awareness about hunger issues and many attended a virtual program broadcast online to learn more about Westside Food Bank, its member agencies and their hunger relief community services.