Westside Food Bank
WESTSIDE FOOD BANK is devoted to distributing as much nutritious food as possible to local food assistance charities, while working to reduce food waste on the Westside.
Founded in 1981, the Food Bank distributes close to four million pounds of food each year to more than 65 agencies serving low-income individuals and families in our com¬munity. Food is acquired through donations, food drives, and bulk food purchases, allowing a great diversity of nutritious foods to be available. Food from Westside Food Bank’s Santa Monica warehouse reached over 85,000 people last year, nearly half of whom were children.
Locally, over the past several months, rising food prices, income shortages, home foreclosures, fuel cost inflation and increasing unemployment are forcing even many families who have thought of themselves as middle class to seek food pan¬try assistance. For local families who do not qualify for food stamps and other government aid programs, food pantries are often the only place they can turn for help. During these dif¬ficult times, the Food Bank feels it is especially important for us to provide a steady supply of nutritious foods. Community support plays a vital role in Westside Food Bank’s ability to meet the growing need for food assistance.