North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry

At a time when many of us are thinking about the issue of food insecurity and the millions of Americans who go to bed hungry, it’s impressive to note there’s a local nonprofit that’s been working to address this problem for nearly four decades. It is the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry. Founded in 1983 in a Sunday School room at First Christian Church, with Temple Beth Hillel providing storage space, NHIFP continues to this day using the same model to collect and distribute food. Currently a total of 14 congregations are contributing to this critical effort. 

To understand how severe the problem is, consider this: An estimated 2 million people in Los Angeles County live with food insecurity. That means 1 in 5 worry about where they will get their next meal.

Barbara Javitz is the Director of NHIFP, overseeing an operation that distributes 160 bags of food, two days a week, 52 weeks a year. As you may imagine, the COVID crisis has had a major impact on the organization. Distribution is now set up as a drive-thru/walk-up system. Bags are put on tables so there’s no direct contact between the volunteers and clients. Anyone is welcome to show up and receive a bag of groceries. 

According to Javitz, of the 320 total bags handed out weekly, 120 of them are distributed to the unhoused. These clients receive food that is easy to access, like sandwiches, bagged salads or other items that don’t require cooking.

The food is donated by the community, with individuals, schools and organizations helping out. Once a month they purchase additional food from a wholesaler. But due to COVID, there are now hiccups in the supply chain, so sometimes the needed supplies are not available, and they’re forced to buy retail. “That is a shock to the system,” says Javitz, “because oftentimes it cost double the amount.” NHIFP also partners with the LA Regional Food Bank and groups such as the Bagel Brigade, which goes to various supermarkets and collects items like day-old bread and pastries. 

Other contributions come from orchards and individuals who donate fresh fruit and vegetables from their gardens and yards. Here again, the coronavirus has had an effect because county and city health restrictions have put a stop to large gatherings of people picking and harvesting food. If you ask what items are on the top of the pantry’s wish list, they will tell you, “We always need canned protein, and we always need some version of peanut butter.”

One big source of donations is food drives, which are the lifeblood of the organization. With schools and many institutions closed, people are still able to organize drives by having drop-off collection points, and all drives are coordinated with Javitz to ensure an impactful and safe drive. During the holidays, giving usually increases because historically that’s when people consider making monetary donations, but she notes that, come January, giving typically dries up.

One very simple way to brighten up someone’s holiday is by making and bagging sandwiches or cookies at home and then bringing them to NHIFP. Javitz also suggests helping by assembling hygiene kits packed with everyday necessities.

Nowhere has COVID had a greater impact on the organization than in the number of volunteers needed to keep NHIFP running. “None of this happens without the goodwill of volunteers,” stresses Javitz. She is nearly 100% reliant on them for packing and sorting groceries at the temple, transporting food to the church and finally, distributing the bags to clients. “When COVID hit, I was down from about 20 people to zero overnight. Many of those volunteers were older or retired. Luckily we found some young people willing to help, but we always need more,” she explains. “It’s crucial to have volunteers who can donate time on a consistent basis.”

Above and beyond the physical distribution of food and personal care items, Javitz says the NHIFP mission also includes an important character-building message.

“Compassion and caring are tenets that we try to instill in our work. For me, it’s shared service with people working together for our community. It’s particularly important here because this is a neighborhood where most people are not suffering themselves. They are generally not in the line for food.”

The North Hollywood Interfaith Food pantry would not be able to continue supporting its community without the numerous people who give their time and effort to ensure its success. They are immensely grateful to the members of the executive and advisory boards, as well as to all the supporters and volunteers who help the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry operate each and every week of the year.

To host a food drive, or to learn about current drives, contact Barbara Javitz at barbara@nhifp.org.
To learn more about how you can donate or volunteer, go to https://nhifp.org/