California Food Banks >> Santa Monica Food Assistance

Food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries in Santa Monica CA

Helping Other People Eat
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.801.3411
Details: H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Eat) was founded in 1992 and is an all-volunteer organization providing hot meals twice a week to the homeless of Santa Monica. Our support for HOPE is an outgrowth of our recovery-focused mission. A large percentage of the area's homeless suffer from alcoholism and/or drug addiction. We help with their immediate needs, in order to gain trust and to assist people in their recovery from active addiction over the long term. Friends of Choices has been providing administrative services for HOPE since early 2002. A number of the residents housed in our sober living homes have volunteered with HOPE, helping others the way they were helped. H.O.P.E. is a Santa Monica All Volunteer Meal Distribution Program. H.O.P.E. provides meals and emergency gear Wed’s and Thurs. 3:30 - 5 p.m. at 503 Olympic Boulevard
Westside Food Bank
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.828.6016
Details: Westside Food Bank is an independent, non-governmental, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in 1981, which provides food to social service agencies on the Westside of Los Angeles County. Our food often enables low-income people to stay in their homes, deterring the problem of homelessness, because it saves them from having to make the agonizing choice between paying for rent or food when they can’t afford both. Receiving our food also enables our 70 member-agencies to devote more of their own resources to other ways of helping clients achieve self respect and economic independence. The Food Bank acquires as much food as possible through donations, but we must still purchase approximately half of our food from wholesale merchants at the best volume prices we can obtain. Purchasing food allows us to consistently provide our member agencies with the most nutritious food possible. The Food Bank also receives produce from a statewide “Farm to Family” distribution program. Our Extra Helpings Westside Program, which recovers food that would otherwise be thrown away from bakeries, restaurants, caterers and food suppliers, provides about one third of the food we distribute. Thanks to the economies of scale and our efficient operation, we can acquire five pounds of food for each donated dollar.