WESTSIDE FOOD BANK

DURING FY 2024-25, WESTSIDE FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED NEARLY 5.2 MILLION POUNDS OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD, EQUIVALENT TO APPROXIMATELY 4.3 MILLION MEALS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED. OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED, 52% CONSISTED OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, REINFORCING OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS OPTIONS TO THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WE SERVE.WESTSIDE FOOD BANK SERVED 140,298 UNDUPLICATED PEOPLE DURING THE YEAR, AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 40,000 INDIVIDUALS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR NETWORK BY ADDING FOUR NEW NONPROFIT PARTNER AGENCIES, FURTHER STRENGTHENING OUR ABILITY TO REACH COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS OUR SERVICE AREA.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALSO REACHED HISTORIC LEVELS THIS YEAR. WESTSIDE FOOD BANK HOSTED 2,727 VOLUNTEERS DURING FY 2024-25, THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS WELCOMED IN A SINGLE YEAR IN OUR 42-YEAR HISTORY. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE 950 INDIVIDUALS WHO VOLUNTEERED WITH US DURING FY 2023-24.IN ADDITION, DOZENS OF PARTNER AGENCIES WERE ABLE TO FOCUS MORE FULLY ON PROVIDING CRITICAL WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO THEIR CLIENTS BECAUSE THEY COULD RELY ON WESTSIDE FOOD BANK FOR A CONSISTENT SUPPLY OF FREE, HIGH-QUALITY GROCERIES.IN FY 2024-25, WESTSIDE FOOD BANK WELCOMED FOUR NEW NONPROFIT PARTNERS INTO OUR NETWORK: GRASS ROOTS NEIGHBORS, HOLMAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, LA CARE, AND NEW DIRECTIONS MACARTHUR. GRASS ROOTS NEIGHBORS DELIVERS GROCERIES TO MORE THAN 70 FOOD-INSECURE FAMILIES, WHILE HOLMAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PROVIDES COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS. THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LA CARE, WE ARE HELPING CONNECT HEALTHCARE ACCESS WITH NUTRITIOUS FOOD SUPPORT, AND NEW DIRECTIONS MACARTHUR SERVES VETERANS AND NEIGHBORS IN NEED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THESE PARTNERSHIPS EXPAND OUR REACH AND STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO ENSURE THAT EVEN MORE WESTSIDE RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS FOOD THEY DESERVE.DURING FY 24-25, OUR SUMMER CHILDREN'S NUTRITION PROGRAM HELPED THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ACCESS HEALTHY FOOD DURING THE SUMMER BREAK, A TIME WHEN SCHOOL MEALS ARE UNAVAILABLE AND FAMILY BUDGETS ARE STRETCHED THIN. THIS PROGRAM HAS CONSISTENTLY GROWN TO PROVIDE WEEKLY FOOD BOXES TO OVER 1,300 CHILDREN DURING THE SUMMER. WHEN WILDFIRES STRUCK THE PALISADES IN JANUARY 2025, OUR COMMUNITY STEPPED UP IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS. IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED, VISITS TO OUR FREE MOBILE FOOD MARKETS AND MEMBER AGENCY PANTRIES SURGED BY 30%. EVEN SEVEN MONTHS LATER, WE ARE STILL SEEING ELEVATED NEED AS MANY HOUSEHOLDS CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM DISPLACEMENT, JOB LOSS, AND OTHER HARDSHIPS CAUSED BY THE DISASTER. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS WHO GAVE MONEY, FOOD, AND SUPPLIES, AND TO THE STAFF AND EQUIPMENT LOANED TO US BY OTHER FOOD BANKS, WE WERE ABLE TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY.TOGETHER, WE BROUGHT RELIEF TO NEIGHBORS IMPACTED BY THE FIRES BY HOSTING MONTHLY EMERGENCY AID RESOURCE FAIRS WHERE WE DISTRIBUTED MEAL BOXES, FRESH PRODUCE, HYGIENE KITS, DIAPERS, BABY FORMULA, MASKS, WATER, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL ITEMS. WE PARTNERED WITH CD 11 COUNCILWOMAN TRACI PARK AND HAVE HOSTED MULTIPLE EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION RESOURCE FAIRS AT THE WEST LA MUNICIPAL BUILDING PLAZA WHERE WE CONTINUE MEETING PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE PALISADES FIRE, INCLUDING A GROUP OF PALISADES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED AT EACH FIRE RELIEF RESOURCE FAIR SINCE WE STARTED HOLDING THEM. WE ALSO HAVE MORE SCHEDULED IN THE COMING MONTHS. WE INVITED COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS TO TABLE AT THESE EVENTS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY OR RECOVERING FROM FIRES, JOB LOSS, AND ECONOMIC INSTABILITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM. THE BUILDING PURCHASED BY WSFB DURING FY 2023-24 AT 1914 14TH STREET IS THE FIRST BUILDING THE ORGANIZATION HAS OWNED IN ITS MORE THAN 40-YEAR HISTORY. DURING FY 2024-25, THE BUILDING CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A CRITICAL OPERATIONAL AND VOLUNTEER HUB, WHERE VOLUNTEERS SORTED AND BOXED DONATED AND PURCHASED FOOD FOR PROGRAMS INCLUDING WSFB'S SUMMER FOOD FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM AND FREE MOBILE MARKET DISTRIBUTIONS. THE ADDITIONAL DRY STORAGE SPACE REMAINS ESSENTIAL AS WSFB WORKS TO SUSTAIN ELEVATED LEVELS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC AND THE JANUARY 2025 LA COUNTY WILDFIRES THAT HAVE INCREASED COMMUNITY NEED.DURING FY 2024-25, WSFB WAS IN THE PERMITTING AND PLANNING PHASE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1,000 SQUARE FEET OF NEW FREEZER AND COOLER SPACE AT 1914 14TH STREET, WHICH PREVIOUSLY HAD NO COLD STORAGE CAPACITY. THIS PROJECT ALLOWS WSFB TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE ITS ABILITY TO ACCEPT AND DISTRIBUTE DONATED FRESH PRODUCE, REFRIGERATED ITEMS, AND FROZEN FOODS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD TO BE DECLINED DUE TO LIMITED COOLER AND FREEZER SPACE.