It would be easy only to see the negative impact the last two years have had on our lives, but, as is often the case in dark times, some light manages to shine through. For our neighbors who struggle with food insecurity—a number that includes nearly half of all seniors—Hollywood Harvest has been one of those beacons. Started by the Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council and KinderUS mutual aid app, Hollywood Harvest leaped into action during the earliest days of the pandemic. In fact, over the eight weeks that followed the initial March 2020 lockdown, the organization delivered more than 16 tons of food to 703 area seniors.
The success of these early efforts came thanks to numerous donations and the help of 150 volunteers who called thousands of area seniors and assessed their food needs. At the time, the Hollywood Schoolhouse—located in the Media District—opened its space as a central bagging station for groceries before being delivered by volunteers, the L.A. Conservation Corps, and LAPD officers.
“By bringing that food to [those seniors’] doors, we’ve built relations- hips with our participants while nourishing the soul of our community,” said Ferris Wehbe, one of the food bank’s board members. “Our participants anticipate our arrival on Saturday afternoons, and their gratitude confirms the necessity of our work.”
Last year, Hollywood Harvest set its sights on opening a neighborhood-serving food co-op—a community grocery and delivery service that would connect low-income Hollywood residents to not only food but other services. “Early investment enabled us to transform an abandoned pawn shop into a world-class food rescue hub that saves 30 to 40 tons from the landfill each week,” said Wehbe. “Since July, Hollywood Harvest has brought the best fruits and vegetables from that inventory to the homes of nearby seniors.”
Having identified a need in the community and demonstrated an efficient way to meet it, Hollywood Harvest expects to quadruple its distribution this year, but the organization needs to ensure they have the equipment, systems, and supplies to support those 15,000 extra deliveries.
“[Our donors’] generosity has helped hundreds of seniors stay fed in Hollywood,” explained Wehbe. “With continued support, we can extend that security to everyone.”
Visit HollywoodHarvest.org for more information.