As Need Grows, Local Volunteers Step Up

With the economic downturn of the past two years, local agencies providing food and other services for the needy in West Hollywood and surrounding areas have definitely seen a significant jump in need.

"Overall, in the past two years, demand has almost doubled," said Joan Mithers, director of food, hunger and community areas for SOVA, a division of Jewish Family Services.  Mithers oversees three different food distributions centers, including the Metro office, which serves West Hollywood.

Ted Landreth, who works with The Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition, said that his organization has gone from serving 100 people every night at the corner of Romaine Street and Sycamore Avenue to serving 200 people.

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank recently reported that the increase in need—driven by the continuing high unemployment rate of 12 percent in Los Angeles County—has depleted stores for the organization which services 580 different food pantries throughout the county.

"Over the last two years, we've seen demand go up 40 percent.  It's just been a big jump," said Darren Hoffman, communications director for the Food Bank. 

The food bank used to keep three millions pounds of food on hand at all times, but stocks have been halved by the increased need.  In addition to keeping up with the growing demand, Hoffman said he was concerned about having food on hand for major emergencies.

"We're like a second responder for earthquakes," he said.

But neither Landreth or Mithers seem worried about their own resources, even though both agreed they always need donations.

"Fortunately, we're pretty well fixed," Landreth said, explaining that most of his food comes from restaurants, bakeries and stores that would otherwise be throwing leftover, but otherwise untouched food away.  Still, cash donations are much needed to help with other needs besides food.

"We have been blessed with excellent community support.  I can cautiously say we can respond to the growing need thus far," Mithers said, adding that money and food are always needed.

And both she and Landreth pointed to the bright side of the crisis—more volunteers.  Neither can say for sure exactly what's bringing the new people out, but Landreth said that a lot of his new volunteers are people who have recently lost their jobs and now have time to offer, adding that volunteering helps people feel better and in his group, it also provides an opportunity for networking - a critical part of a job search.

"When times are tough, we have more volunteers.  People who lose their jobs start paying more attention to people who are homeless," Landreth said.

Mithers said that people are coming out to help for a variety of reasons.

"There are some people who finally have the time and want to do something meaningful.  There are also those who realize how huge the need is.  If there's anything, it's a growing awareness that crises can happen to any of us."

For more information on food service programs, including SOVA and The West Hollywood Food Coalition, you can click to the West Hollywood site here.  To donate or volunteer at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, you can visit their website at http://www.lafoodbank.org.