Healthy food is critical to a child’s development, yet many children in Southern California are faced with food insecurity. Recent data found nearly one in five Californians – about 8 million people – experience hunger. With the support of a legislative partner, CCRC will soon be able to address this crisis through a program called Fill the Fridge.
Even before the pandemic, CCRC was providing families with fresh produce and pantry items. As time went on, we were offered donations of perishable food that we unfortunately had no way to keep cold.
But thanks to our partnership with Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, CCRC was awarded a $400,000 infrastructure grant to buy a refrigerated vehicle and an on-site commercial refrigerator/freezer. The funding will be allocated by the Department of Social Services,
Our distribution events will soon include perishable item donations like fresh milk, eggs, meat and cheese, and bread, frozen food, and fresh fruits and vegetables. As food prices continue to soar, the need for accessible and affordable food is great. That makes this funding even more remarkable.
“For me this is so meaningful, I know food insecurity unfortunately is such a big [issue] in our community,” said Schiavo. “Kids can’t focus, thrive, and grow to be big healthy kids if they don’t have the food they need. Being able to help CCRC get these funds to have refrigerators and truck and infrastructure needed to get kids the foods they need – I can’t wait to see those refrigerators and trucks in action.”
A champion of children and families, Assemblywoman Schiavo has through her career helped deliver healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, to more than one million people. In the Northwest San Fernando Valley, she co-founded an organization that helped secure housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness, has delivered more than 50,000 meals to people in need, and increased resources to help keep our communities safe.
CCRC has distributed more than one million food items to under resourced families over the past five years. Empowering families with access to healthy and reliable food sources will help ensure success of future generations to come.
