LOS ANGELES (Nov. 3) Food Forward, in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles and L.A. Care Health Plan, announces an emergency expansion of its community produce distribution network to respond to unprecedented hunger and instability caused by the suspension of essential federal nutrition funding and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
This rapid-response expansion will scale up Food Forward’s fresh produce distributions by an additional 2.4 million servings of fruits and vegetables (600,000 pounds) in November alone, sending even more fresh fruits and vegetables directly into neighborhoods across Los Angeles County. This represents a historic increase in scope and urgency: Food Forward and the YMCA have worked together for five years to provide fresh produce through 13 YMCA sites. Beginning in November, that work will surge to between 25 to 29 YMCA sites countywide. While some courts have issued orders that the federal government must in fact fund SNAP, this funding will not come in time to close the gap that millions of people are already seeing as a result of the halt in spending. Partially funded is partially fed, and Food Forward is filling this crucial gap during a time when high need for food continues.
“This is not business as usual. We are mobilizing at a speed and scale we have never mobilized before,” said Rick Nahmias, Founder and CEO of Food Forward. “When safety net programs are cut or frozen, families don’t just lose food, but they lose access to nutrition and dignity. We believe food is a human right, and are stepping up alongside our partners to protect that right in this moment of crisis.”
Across the region, families are already bracing for a gap in benefits caused by the halting of federal nutrition program funding and the impact of SNAP cuts. For many workers, including federal workers now going without pay, this sudden loss of benefits means empty refrigerators and mounting fear. Traditional emergency food options often focus on shelf-stable and processed goods. This partnership is designed to fill a different and critical need: getting fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables directly to people who need them most in every district of the county.
“At a time when so many Los Angeles County residents are being asked to survive without the basic food support they rely on, it’s not enough to distribute calories,” said Nahmias. “Food Forward is picking up where SNAP left off, helping to ensure that nutrition is a priority in the food made available during this crisis.”
Distributions of fresh produce will begin immediately and continue throughout November, with ongoing work anticipated beyond November as federal support remains uncertain and community need remains high. The YMCA, Food Forward, and L.A. Care are aligned in their shared belief that food security is not temporary relief work, but essential to nutritional infrastructure.
About Food Forward:
Food Forward, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit on a mission to fight hunger and prevent food waste by rescuing surplus produce and redirecting it to people in need. Since 2009, Food Forward has recovered and distributed more than half a billion pounds (2.8 billion+ servings) of fresh fruits and vegetables to 250+ hunger relief partners across Southern California and beyond.
Media Availability:
Food Forward Founder and CEO Rick Nahmias is available for interviews and further comment.
Additional spokespeople from Food Forward, the YMCA, and L.A. Care Health Plan are also available for comment.
