LA Food Equity Fund makes community grants to 31 nonprofits working to transform region’s disconnected food system and improve resident food access
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County’s Chief Sustainability Office and local nonprofit intermediary Community Partners today announced a second tranche of $10 million in community grants to alleviate food insecurity and build a more resilient food system across the region.
Augmenting the initial set of grants awarded in 2024, this latest round of funding brings total grantmaking from the The LA Food Equity Fund to more than $20 million.
“This investment is a powerful example of how Los Angeles County is stepping up to tackle food insecurity head-on,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “We’re re not just funding programs. We’re also empowering community-based organizations to deliver real, lasting change in people’s lives. These grants will expand access to nutritious food, create local jobs, and support families in every corner of our County. I’m proud to support a collaborative approach that strengthens our food systems and promotes health equity for all.”
Tapping into federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the County and Community Partners are now supporting 78 organizations working to create more just access to affordable and nutritious food across the Southland. Nearly 1 in 4 County households experienced food insecurity in 2024, according to USC researchers.
“Nearly all of L.A. County's food comes from beyond our foodshed and outside of our state, meaning that profits from our billions of dollars of food purchases are not benefiting our County. Increasing localization of our healthy food system by creating more farmer-led food hubs, expanding market match programs, sourcing locally for medically tailored meals, and creating more community gardens and urban agriculture opportunities, among other initiatives, could create many new jobs and bring significant revenue back into our economy,” said Paula Daniels, Executive Director of the LA County Office of Food Systems.
The first tranche of funds, awarded in March 2024, has already yielded significant benefits for more than 66,000 LA County residents. Grants have:
- supported local job creation
- underwritten community health fairs and nutrition education workshops
- boosted refrigeration and warehouse space for food banks
- established new markets in food deserts
- assisted residents with CalFresh benefits enrollment
The investments, guided by the ambitious recommendations of the Los Angeles County Food Equity Roundtable Action Plan, range in size from $100,000 to just over $400,000. The new grants will fund a wide array of local community groups striving to improve food access and affordability as well as greater resilience and sustainability within food supply chains.
"As a strong advocate for the LA Food Equity Fund, I have urged continued funding to ensure we can keep supporting families struggling with food insecurity,” said Hilda L. Solis, Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and Supervisor for the First District. “This program is essential for addressing the critical needs of our most vulnerable residents, many of whom face the difficult choice between paying rent and putting food on the table. By providing resources to organizations like God’s Pantry, Homeboy Industries, and Union Station Homeless Services, we are directly combating food insecurity by offering fresh, nutritious, and culturally relevant food. These nonprofits are vital in supporting our communities, and this investment not only supports their immediate efforts but also strengthens our long-term commitment to advancing equity, economic opportunity, and climate resilience throughout the County."
Food production organizations supported by the Fund reflect a wide range of diversity, from Crop Swap LA’s and Grow2Zero’s microfarms feeding local residents in South L.A. and Long Beach, to the WOW Flower Project’s farm that feeds communities and hosts camps for children with mental health challenges in the Antelope Valley.
Supply-chain resilience groups receiving funds include Food Forward and FoodCycle, which recover surplus fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods to redistribute to partner organizations across the County. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center is recruiting Japanese-American farmers with small- and mid-sized farms to participate in providing culturally relevant produce for low-income shoppers via a Little Tokyo Farmers Market.
Food access grants range from the Watts Labor Community Action Committee’s food pantry and distribution program to the Thai Community Development Center’s East Hollywood Farmers Market, as well as supporting homeless services organizations The Midnight Mission, Union Station Homeless Services, Hope the Mission, and LA Family Housing to expand their food production and storage capacity to serve tens of thousands of meals daily.
Nutrition education awardees include Pico Union Project, which hires local community members to provide nutrition and wellness services at weekly community farmers markets, and Pools of Hope, which provides culturally appropriate nutritious food preparation classes and safe food handling education in North Long Beach, Compton, and Paramount.
Food as medicine awardees include the Health Consortium of Greater San Gabriel Valley, which works with five area hospitals to expand access to medically tailored meals for MediCal patients living with or at risk of chronic diseases, and South Los Angeles Health Projects, which advocates for postpartum birth parents who are no longer able to participate in WIC and are experiencing diabetes or high blood pressure, or whose infants were born preterm or with congenital issues.
“We have a collective responsibility to do all we can to end hunger. This additional round of funding to organizations – who are working on the ground alongside the County to improve access to nutritious food for our most vulnerable residents – reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that no child or family has to worry about getting the food they need to survive,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “I commend the County’s Chief Sustainability Office, the non-profit Community Partners and all the organizations helping to advance our efforts to close the gap on food access – for good.”
Other grants awarded provide a wide range of support services, from distributing food to local food pantries to incubating small food businesses in underserved communities to training healthcare providers to increase access to and utilization of medically tailored meals.
“Food is a basic human right, and nobody should have to struggle to access fresh, nutritious meals,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “With this latest investment, we are doubling down on community-driven solutions that meet people where they are, reflect the cultural diversity of our neighborhoods, and create a food system that is sustainable, just, and rooted in equity.”
For more details, please see this full list of awarded grantees.
Community Partners is also partnering with the newly formed LA County Office of Food Systems, a public-private partnership created by the County of Los Angeles in partnership with philanthropy. The Office will provide ongoing opportunities for grantees to connect with regional efforts and a diverse network of stakeholders to cultivate a healthy, fair, and resilient food system that serves all L.A. County residents.
“We’re proud to continue this partnership with LA County and support more community-based leaders on the frontlines of change across L.A. This is equity-centered grantmaking in action, and efforts like this help fuel the creative solutions that support strong, healthy communities,” said Alicia Lara, President and CEO of Community Partners, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit intermediary that manages the LA Food Equity Fund and selected the awardees in partnership with a panel of expert advisors.
“Too many families in L.A. County still struggle to access healthy food. By supporting local leaders who know their communities best and are building lasting solutions that work for them, we’re investing in a future where no one in L.A. County goes hungry." said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who helped create the Office of Food Systems.
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The American Rescue Plan Act provides $1.9 billion in funding to L.A. County to build an equitable economic recovery from the devastating socio-economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. L.A. County is working to address inequities and transform underserved communities that have been hard hit during the pandemic with investments from the American Rescue Plan Act and other funding sources. For more information visit ceo.lacounty.gov/recovery.
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Media Contact: pio@bos.lacounty.gov
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