Abrupt shutdown of Long Beach-based regional food bank sends local nonprofits scrambling for supplies
The state is investigating the Foodbank of Southern California and has terminated an agreement with the organization to distribute federal food aid, but few details were available Friday.
The Foodbank of Southern California, a nearly 50-year-old nonprofit that helps feed an estimated 850,000 people in Los Angeles County each year, was suddenly shuttered Thursday, after an investigation led the state to cut off aid that the food bank distributed to smaller local nonprofits.
After a search warrant was served there on Thursday, the food bank’s warehouse and offices, in an industrial area just north of the Willmore neighborhood, were largely empty on Friday. A sign on the door said the facility is “closed until further notice.”
A woman who came to the door declined to provide any information, and no one responded to a voicemail left for the organization. When reached by phone, Michael Barrett, who serves on the food bank’s board of directors, didn’t answer questions but said information would be released after a board meeting next week.
The California Department of Social Services on Thursday terminated its agreement with the Foodbank of Southern California to distribute food through a federal program known as The Emergency Food Assistance Program, according to a letter taped to the food bank’s door.
The state social services agency “is conducting an investigation regarding the use of government funds by the Food Bank of Southern California. The CDSS cannot comment on ongoing investigations,” Scott Murray, the agency’s deputy director of public affairs and outreach programs, wrote in an email Friday.
The food bank had partnered with about 275 community nonprofits to get food to people in need, according to its website. The state was directing those local partners instead to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, where Chief Development Officer Roger Castle said Friday that he has no information about what happened at the Long Beach organization, but “we’re going to step in to help as many people as we can.”
While it’s good news that food aid will still be available to local organizations that get it into the hands of hungry families, the sudden closing of the Foodbank of Southern California has caused headaches for some of them.
James Collins, food services manager at Long beach-based Help Me Help You, said he called the Foodbank of Southern California on Thursday as usual to schedule a pickup, and when he didn’t get a response, he tried again and was told he’d need to go instead to the Los Angeles organization.
Collins had to drive 30 miles to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s warehouse in the City of Industry, and when he arrived, “they weren’t really ready” for all the new clients, he said. “It hit everybody as a surprise.”
Luckily he already had some items on hand and was able to get a smaller than usual distribution, so he had food bags ready to give out at Help Me Help You’s twice-monthly food pantry, but Collins said he’s worried about added transportation costs.
It was less than half a mile to the now-shuttered Long Beach food bank, versus 30 miles to the Los Angeles organization’s facility, and grants often don’t cover gas for a truck to move the food.
“Having a local food bank is really crucial,” Collins said.
His nonprofit also gets supplies from other nonprofits, but without a major food distributor in Long Beach, “it’s definitely going to be a challenge. It’s going to drive the cost up,” he said.
Residents in need of food assistance can click here for a list of local providers.
