Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

Definitely a great place to volunteer, not to mention the staff is responsive, friendly, and approachable. I’ve been here about 4 times now and the most recent time, I organized a volunteer event for my alumni association.
Back in January when I was in the middle of planning a volunteer event, I sent an email to the general inquiry. I received 2 responses immediately from different staff members. Fast service knocked my socks off! Since Saturday mornings are their busiest times for hosting groups, consider booking at least 3 months in advance. Eli was so helpful and thorough, the whole process to set up a service was seamless.
My group ended up coming yesterday and we had a fantastic time. The staff is also punctual, we were all inside watching the informational video by 8:30am and started working by 9am. This time around, we were sorting vegetables/​fruits area. It was hard work, but none the less, rewarding. Our group of 25 was a well oiled machine!
We literally didn’t finish until almost 12pm, just as they promised. Some tips for when volunteering is to consider wearing a backpack filled with water and snacks. Closed toe shoes are required.
In the past, I’ve helped with sorting bread, perishable items, and this time around veggies/​fruits. My favorite is sorting bread so far. I’ll be back soon enough for another service in the near future!

I was fortunate enough to be raised understanding my privilege to the extent any kid can, and it’s become second nature to only buy as much food as I need, save my leftovers, and remember to donate during holidays. But it is still astonishing to see how much food gets wasted or tossed away on a daily basis, and a day at the Food Bank only reminded me how much more I can do.
I volunteered with the Food Bank as part of a holiday project through my job, and it was a wonderful experience I recommend to every Unilocaler, restaurant-​goer, human being.
Organizing a volunteer session was very easy, thanks to the efficiency and processes in place at the Food Bank. We received confirmation emails and waiver forms before arriving — which helped since we were volunteering as a large group. They have a private parking lot and a variety of potential volunteer activities, depending on their current needs. The activities you might help out with include sorting through donated items, assembling care packages, or building backpack lunches for their school program.
Orientation was quick and easy; staff were available to help us answer questions regarding procedures and background information on the organization.
The day I visited, they needed to sort through the warehouse of donations– this was a last-​minute change to our planned itinerary. However, this meant spending the morning in a huge refrigerated warehouse. I arrived in flats and a cardigan, and so had to stand through numb toes and a lingering chill. Of course this only motivated me to move around more, and the feeling after-​the-​fact more than made up for any stiffness or cold I experienced. If you have a condition or are susceptible in cold weather, I suggest dressing in layers to suit the needs of the day!
At the end of the day, my group of 22 volunteers stood, slightly aching from a job properly done, to hear we had cleared over 5,000 pounds of food, ready to distribute to people who need it. I felt like I had accomplished more in one morning than I had in weeks. Not only that, but I felt closer with my coworkers and continue to remain so.
I won’t say I hope, instead that I WILL return, and invite you to join me!

Pretty cool place to volunteer.
Most of the folks that come to this volunteer opportunitty come to get credit for their organization, however for me this was just a way to give back during the holiday season. Didn’t take as long as they told us it might take, but definitely a lot of bending down and sorting through vegetable and fruit bins.
The building itself is in a rough part of town, and parking usually involves parking on the street. Don’t bring your luxury car.

I donate every year. Everyone must help others and be of service. You only help yourself when you are of service to others.
Happy Holidays!

Come volunteer your time at the LA Food Bank!
I’ve been coming here for the past 6 – 8 years to volunteer whenever I could. Luckily, I started working for a company that encourages volunteering and gives us actual «volunteer time off» to give back to the communities. It’s been a great experience ever single trip here.
The LA Food Bank consists of 4 different sites within the same general area. Most weekends you will find yourself working in the main area off 41^st street working the produce. On weekdays, volunteers are needed on the back side of the facility to sort miscellaneous items.
Must register online as individual or within a group and bring a signed waiver (the waiver is pretty intense but the chances of getting hurt are slim here). Only 14+ years old and older allowed to volunteer, no exceptions. You will not only have fun volunteering. the time will go quick and its also a chance to meet some people you’re working with!
At the end of the volunteer shift, an employee will generally let the group know the total accomplishment completed during the time frame and how many meals are served! Great feeling of satisfaction =)

What a great group volunteer opportunity, recently went right before Thanksgiving with some classmates and it felt great to give back to the community. A lot of corporations volunteer here too, the day I went I saw Samsung. I could tell because their logo was emblazoned on these blue vests they were wearing, snazzy!
Our group just was on sorting canned food items duty, putting dented cans or cans not meeting their standard on another conveyor belt and good ones into boxes and then on to pallets. The boxes are sorted by type: vegetables, soups, meats, cereals/​pastas, candy, beverages and so on. The Food Bank sorts dented in cans with liquid, since the dent damages the inner lining and can be a potential health hazard. Good to not all items are wasted, they have their own guide lines and expired food items are depending on the item can be used up to 5 years.
This was a great learning experience on seeing just a part of how donated food gets redistributed to the community, I highly suggest if you’re looking for an active on-​the-​feet volunteer opportunity to check out LA Regional Food Bank. The work is not hard and since they schedule only 4 hour time slots, you won’t break your back either, with the time flying by just like flying like canned food items off of a conveyor belt.
If you can’t donate your time think about donating items, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank can accept dry, shelf-​stable, refrigerated and frozen food items, prepared foods, foodservice items, personal care and cleaning products, office supplies and equipment, mislabeled and unlabeled products, obsolete promotional items, and bulk and damaged products. Call the Food Bank’s Product Donations Department at (323) 234‑3030 extension 161 with questions about what types of items the Food Bank can accept.

One of my favorite places to volunteer! They have a really well done volunteer program and they aren’t scattered like many places I’ve served. I’ve come here a few times now through USC and also work.
They start off the shift with a video on how you’ll be impacting the community. The LA Food Bank is the largest food bank in the community and they served over 800,000 meals per week to families. It is great to see so many people and organizations help out! You’ll be packing food from Ralph’s, Trader Joe’s, and regular donor.
I came here recently for an advertising industry’s volunteer day and they served food and played music! I thought it was a great idea for a music station and food truck to sponsor the event. Nearly 50 volunteers showed up!
Heads up — unless you find street parking outside, it’s tandem parking on the lot. Several volunteers were blocked in but if you find the driver, people will move.

When I think about how much of an effect the LA Food Bank has on the lives of people who are struggling to feed themselves from day to day, I can’t possibly give this establishment less than 5 stars. For those of us who don’t wonder where or when our next meal will be coming, it’s hard to comprehend how real a problem hunger is for people in LA.
I don’t have much spare money to donate, but with places like this, I can still give back by donating my time. Go onto their website to sign up for a shift, and don’t forget to bring your confirmation on the day of. Our shift was from 8:30−12, and after watching a brief video about the food bank, we were put to work.
The tasks may vary, but the times I’ve been here I have sorted fruit, and sorted various donated items into boxes so they are ready to send out. Sometimes it’s really straightforward, but the group leaders do need to work on giving better instruction sometimes. Unfortunately, a lot of good food does go to waste (R.I.P. all the cookies, pastries, and cakes we had to throw out), but it’s better that it gets a second chance to feed someone through here rather than being dumped at the store.
Thanks, LA Food Bank, for providing a valuable service to the community!

I really like this food bank and think they do great work. I have volunteered here and while a bit disorganized they do get the job done. Either way its worth your time to help out.

Volunteered here a couple of times. Registration is 8 – 8:20AM and volunteering is 8:30AM — noon. They start you off with an introductory video that shows you how they are helping the community; these are usually individuals who were laid off and are trying hard but just can’t seem to makes ends meet. It always makes me sad to think of the children who go to bed hungry, not knowing when they will be eating next. Children are supposed to be happy and carefree not worrying about basic necessities. Tasks are varied but involve sorting donated food items and breaking bulk items into smaller packages. Wake up a bit earlier on a weekend, volunteer for a good cause, and go home feeling like you’ve made a small difference in the life of someone who really needed it.

AKPsi Long Beach had a community service event last weekend here for the first time, and it was an incredible experience.
My group worked on inspecting and placing good pears (and throwing out the rotten ones) into boxes and transferring them on this conveyor belt. We literally went through hundreds of pears. The entire time I kept thinking about how amazing it was to know that all of this nutritious food would be going to individuals and families that truly needed it.
This place ain’t no joke though — you seriously are put to work. Constantly bending down, kneeling, crouching, reaching over, reaching under — a workout all on its own.
The only thing was that there were just so many volunteers that its hard to move around. Everyone’s trying to help, but its hard when you have 8 people crouching over in front of one another. Again, you just have to keep reminding yourself that you only have to endure a few uncomfortable hours for a great cause.

I’ve volunteered at the Los Angeles Food Bank two times now. Once with the old company I used to work at, and then again in 2012 for my 28^th birthday party. I don’t know how I did it, but I somehow managed to get 19 of my friends to volunteer at a freezing warehouse, packing food into boxes, at 8:00 am on a Saturday in December. It was a blast though. And as a token of the LA Food Bank’s appreciation, they got me some balloons and gave me a nice shout-​out before we all got to work. I love doing right by others, and I’m glad the Food Bank allows me to do that.

I’ve volunteered here twice, and both were eye-​opening experiences. It doesn’t get past me that we Unilocalers are raving about gourmet dishes while some are going without. It saddens me that people go hungry, and I donate and volunteer at the Food Bank when I get the chance.
The tasks vary. The first time, I got a bunch of people at work to spend half a day there sorting and packing fruit. You get a good workout from it. This last time we sorted through donated food. It was so surprising how little of it we were able to keep. Most were damaged, spoiled or even half-​eaten. There were also plenty of non-​food items.
So the next time you have some time to spare, consider going there for half a day. It’ll be good for the soul.

A great place to volunteer a few hours. I have never seen so much foodstuff in my life. How fortunate that L.A. has this resource available to anyone who might need a hand with providing a meal for themselves for others.
I am so grateful to have lent a hand with a bunch of my peeps from work!
Do come sometime to lend a hand.
Parking is stacked — which means if you have to leave before the end of the volunteering time, park on the street.
to register.
Be prepared to stand continuously, bend and twist and lift about 20 pounds or more of produce. That means dress comfortably, and wear closed shoes. Also bring your drink or snack.
And for pity’s sake, gentlemen, wear good fitting pants. I really don’t need to see anyone’s lower regions when they’re bent over.

My favorite things about volunteering at the LA foodbank:
10) picking up a breakfast donut on my way over
9) light to moderate workout
8) meet cool people
7) paying it forward
6) conveyor belts
5) inspirational video shown before you start
4) predicting weight of boxes before placing on pallet
3) pallets and pallet plastic wrapper machine
2) sometimes you get free Popsicles
1) the cheers when your team finishes for the day

Get here early so you can get street parking and not be stuck in the parking lot when you leave! And being a snack!
Good thing about this LA Food Bank site versus at least one of the others is they provide gloves and aprons to help prevent you from getting dirty. But in general I would suggest bringing some gloves.
It’s a great place to help others!

MUCH volunteers are definitely needed for a job like this. So many donated goods to sort through and the safety of the recipients are ensured by volunteers. After a quick video and orientation, you are given gloves and put to work. I think you can show up on any day there is a volunteer opportunity (check on their website) without registering online; you just have to let them know you are an individual volunteer and not with any of the groups. A large number of high school students are usually there on Saturdays. I’ve been there on weekdays and I’ve got to say that Saturdays have the most volunteers.
They have a lot for you to park in or you may park in the street. It’s relatively safe. Remember to bring your liability release form and dress appropriately. I haven’t seen anyone get kicked out because of how they dressed. I did see a girl volunteer in a skirt once. Prohibited attire: tank tops, sleeveless shirts, sandals, open-​toe or high-​heeled shoes. I think it’s weird that they do not allow you to go sleeveless but do not prohibit shorts or skirts. would like an explanation.
There are different areas you may be working in. You may be checking packaged goods, fruits and vegetables, or bread. There is a refrigerated cold room that you may want to bring a sweater to work in but that temperature was a good temperature for me to work in. I was wearing short-​sleeves and I didn’t feel it was too cold. In all of the times I’ve helped at the Foodbank, the cold room is the one time I did not sweat. I liked it. If it were up to me, then I’d probably work in there every time.
They have references as to how many months past the expiration date something could be. Also, they trash Mars products. They said they don’t waste anything… but I had to throw away so many perfectly good bags of M&M’s and Snickers (Mars products). If they don’t accept Mars products, then they can keep it to themselves, put it in the break room, or let us snack on it as a parting gift. But to throw it away… I think it’s same for Nestle products too. Though I am sure some of these products make it into those boxes… lots of the volunteers don’t know which are Mars products. heck, I don’t even know all of them.
I would volunteer here more often if it weren’t so far away from me.

My friend Dorothy wanted to celebrate her birthday here at the food bank. So thirty of her friends volunteered for the morning shift.
I guess if I had read my email I would have known we were going to be working the warehouse and not actually feeding the homeless. My bad, but told Jay we were going to be on skid row feeding some homeless homies.
Anyways, it’s all good we were many blocks away from where I thought we’d be and it was quite safe. Our task were broken up into groups. That day there were some seventy — five peeps volunteering for the food bank. They, the people getting paid for the day were telling us normally 75 to 150 people volunteer on Saturday’s.
It may have been a low turn-​out but we got the job done. People sift through the bread trays and divided them up into categories and boxed them and put them on the pallets where I and a couple of other dudes would saran wrap them and then a forklift guy would hall them into the trucks for delivery.
You can volunteer by yourself or round up some peeps to volunteer for the food bank anytime. You just have to give advance notice and show up at the specified time.

To give back to your community is one of the greatest gifts you can give. I like to volunteer because investing in one’s community will yield great results in the long run.
So four hours of my Saturday morning at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank was not much of a sacrifice. I was impressed with the number of people volunteering at this place in that it was packed. Most of the volunteers were young Asian college students or high school students. I asked the high schoolers why they were volunteering and most responded with «Oh, I need to boost my resume for college applications.»
The second thing that amazed me was the amount of food that goes to waste in our city supermarkets and restaurants. Most of the food donated were products that were past their expiration dates so they couldn’t sell them at the store but they were still edible. Our task for the morning was to separate the pallets of food into different categories. Dry products, things supposed to go into a cooler and products that need to go into the freezer.
I actually had a lot of fun spending my morning here in that I was not only doing something good for community but I met a lot of like minded people volunteering.

Came today to some some community service/​volunteer work for my company, since they require us to do a certain amount of hours per year.
Came here, not knowing what to expect.
As we get here, there are crowds forming outside the main gate, signing in and what not. As i can see, the majority of people volunteering are community involvment groups, high schools, and colleges.
So we were close to 300 people, which is the most they’ve gotten there all year, from what i was told at least.
Anyhow, the work consisted of filling up bags with food, and getting them ready to ship out. So we had 4 assembly lines Some people filled, got crates and bags ready, and other people stacked and palletized crates.
Overall, depending on what your doing, your gonna be doing some work. Its warehouse work, so prepare yourself to get dirty and maybe sweat.uhhh. but i know most of reading this dont mind a little dirty sweat.