LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The holidays arrived in the blink of an eye while many struggled to put food on their tables.

What You Need To Know

  • Inflation has hit everyone hard, including food banks but they continue to help those in need through the holidays

  • The LA Regional Food Bank and its 600 partner agencies have distributed 10% more food and grocery products in 2024 compared to 2023

  • Food prices are 25% higher than they were before the pandemic

  • if people can’t donate financially, Flood said they can always donate their time and volunteer

High prices for just about everything are affecting more than people’s wallets. It’s affecting the way some people get the basic everyday necessities.

The LA Regional Food Bank and its 600 partner agencies have distributed 10% more food and grocery products in 2024 compared to 2023.

Food prices are 25% higher than they were before the pandemic.

LA Regional Food Bank officials said the need has grown significantly over the last five years.

Every Tuesday, people greet Camille Herrera with hellos and smiles at the Interfaith Food Center.

“I was working nine to five, doing good and they just down-sized,” Herrera said.

After losing her job, the mother of two daughters living at home with her became one of many who receive packaged foods through donations from the food bank every week.

“There’s days where okay, we can only eat two things today, and when I come here, I got a variety of snacks, vegetables, fruits. You get a majority of everything here,” Herrera said.

The food bank and its 600 partner agencies reach an average of 900,000 people a month and have distributed 10% more food and grocery products in 2024 compared to 2023.

Herrera said inflation is to blame.

“Eggs, they’re so expensive right now. The little things that I can get. The cost of everything is going so high,” Herrera said.

LA Regional Food Bank CEO Michael Flood agrees.

“High cost of living, which was prevalent before the pandemic, but has continued, especially housing costs, high rent and the cumulative impact of inflation. Food prices are 25% higher than they were prior to the pandemic,” Flood said.

He said inflation is hitting everyone hard, especially local food banks.

“We see more support, more financial support come in during the holidays, but the need is year-round,” Flood said.

Meaning donations are more important than ever.

“In Los Angeles County, more than a quarter of households are struggling with food insecurity, meaning there’s decisions between paying rent and buying food, or paying for medications and buying food,” Flood said.

But if people can’t donate financially, Flood said they can always donate their time like Kevin Daley.

“I wanted to contribute to a worthy cause and I feel the food bank is a great cause,” Daley said.

Daley is retired and has been volunteering at the food bank for four and a half years.

“I thought it was a great way to reconnect with people,” Daley said.

Connecting people with people.

“They know that moms not going to struggle too much, but mom struggles, and mom has always taken care of them,” Herrera said.

And connecting people with the resources they need.

The LA Regional Food Bank officials said the need has grown significantly over the last five years.

At the onset of the pandemic, the volume more than doubled virtually overnight as the demand throughout Los Angeles increased significantly.