Hundreds of vehicles filled with families lined up as early as 6 a.m. to receive food support from the Free Food Giveaway at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Nov. 21.
Long Beach City College’s Basic Needs, in collaboration with the offices of Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, organized the event that drew thousands to come throughout the three-hour drive-thru only service.
“It’s great to see more than a hundred volunteers up early, meeting the needs of our community. It is the spirit of unity that is unmistakable in Long Beach,” Richardson said.
No identification was required to receive food packages from organizers serving up to six vehicles at a time in organized drive-thru lanes, where they took a family count per vehicle.
“I was surprised when I came out this morning and saw the line all the way to Carson. Times are hard,” Ruben Amador, a library systems technician and adjunct instructor who volunteered to direct lane traffic for the drive.
LBCC students, administration members, and other groups volunteered to serve fellow students, staff and local community members in need by loading vehicles with food packages that included fresh produce, dairy products, eggs, rice, canned goods, and a whole chicken provided by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
“I feel grateful, you know, sometimes we need a little help to get through, and I hope one day to be the person helping,“ student Jessica Morales said, who brought her sister Emely Morales and cousin Pricilia Narvaez who are also LBCC students.
The impact of the recent government shutdown on families who received late SNAP benefits and federal employees who were not paid during the shutdown’s duration were driving forces for the giveaway.
“I am really happy we are doing this because obviously people need the food that we are giving away, but it kind of breaks my heart that we have 4,000 people that are expected today,” Hahn said.
This was the largest food distribution in the 4th supervisorial district of LA County, which Hahn represents, and is home to more than two million people stretching from Torrance, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Long Beach and the Gateway Cities.
“We are here to support the students. A few years ago, when we realized that some of our students were homeless, it was eye-opening for a lot of people. You didn’t think that our students were struggling to find a place to sleep every night while trying to go to school and study to earn their degree,” Hahn said. “The fact that (students) are here today helping, I think, says a lot about them because sometimes when people are in need, they can only think about themselves, but it just shows that even in their time of need, they are giving back and that shows.”
Viking News reported in a recent article that food insecurity is an issue for students on federal programs, a concern that will still hold with winter break coming soon.
“When we know that things are uncertain based on federal shutdowns, federal budgets, and ICE raids on communities, we know what to do to step up,” Richardson said
