LA County begins CalFresh outreach effort to fight food insecurity

Faced with growing levels of food insecurity, Los Angeles County officials Monday began CalFresh Awareness Month in hopes of ensuring eligible residents are taking advantage of the state program that provides monthly food assistance.

“No one should be going hungry in L.A. County, but there are a lot of people who are struggling and don’t know they qualify for help,” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Hahn said in a statement. “This month we are raising awareness of CalFresh and working with our partners to enroll as many families as possible so they can get this assistance.”

According to the county, a recent USC Dornsife College study found that more than 800,000 Los Angeles County households experienced food insecurity between July 2021 and July 2022, and the numbers are exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

The county Department of Public Social Services and Department of Public Health will be working with community groups throughout the month to promote outreach and application-assistance efforts in communities that were disproportionately affected in terms of health and economic impacts during the pandemic. The county will also be holding a series of community and public and social-media outreach efforts during the monthlong campaign, which is themed “The Power of Partnership.”

The first such event was planned for 9 a.m. Thursday at Amelia Mayberry Park in Whittier.

Information about the CalFresh program and other food resources is available at the dpss.lacounty.gov.