At a time when federal cuts to EBT, WIC and other social support programs like CalFresh are reducing food access for low-income families, alternative community food networks across Los Angeles are stepping in to fill the gap.
From neighborhood mutual aid fridges and church food banks to volunteer-run produce pop-ups, these efforts feed thousands of Angelenos through a dignity-centered, “no questions asked” model of communal care. That stands in contrast to federal nutrition programs such as SNAP, which require eligibility screening, identity verification and proof of citizenship or qualifying immigration status.
While they vary in structure and scope, these four community food initiatives share a common message: Access to produce, hygiene supplies and over-the-counter medication should not be tied to legal status.
MCC in the Valley
San Fernando Valley
5730 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
On a Sunday after church service, I spoke with the Rev. Pat Langlois, who has led MCC in the Valley for nine years. On its back patio — filled with plants, small fountains and shaded tables — a weekly food pantry distributes groceries to the community.
What began as hygiene kits and hot meals prepared on-site and distributed in Skid Row has evolved into a consistent food distribution effort. The pantry operates every Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.
Langlois said the pantry is largely supported by community donations from across Los Angeles, including local LGBTQ+ clubs, McDonald’s and grants from Rainbow Advocacy and Our Big Kitchen LA. The program emphasizes building relationships with neighbors while meeting urgent needs.
“These are our neighbors, and the need is really, really high — and it is only getting higher,” Langlois said, pointing to increased food insecurity following federal cuts to EBT last October. Food insecurity in California remains high, with 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 3 adults with children reporting food insecurity in 2025, according to the California Association of Food Banks.
The patio buzzed with activity as people lined up for groceries, shared meals and talked with one another. There is no requirement to attend services to receive food.
“This is not just about peanut butter and tuna,” Langlois said. “It’s about doing it in a way that people know they belong.”
LA Community Fridge
South LA
6501 S. Van Ness Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90047
I spoke by phone with Mericka Lehman, host of the Van Ness Pantry, part of the LA Community Fridges network. The pantry, established in December 2025, provides dry goods, spices, canned food, protein and hygiene products.
Without a refrigeration unit, the site focuses on shelf-stable essentials. Lehman said the pantry is designed to serve anyone, regardless of need.
“If you have WIC or EBT, it doesn’t cover everything,” she said, noting gaps in government assistance, particularly for hygiene products.
Lehman said she has seen an uptick in demand alongside increased community interest in donating.
“People want to help — they just don’t know how,” she said.
Through the LA Community Fridges network, donations are distributed across a broader system of fridges and pantries throughout Los Angeles.
All Power Books
South LA
4749 W Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016
On a Saturday in West Adams, I visited All Power Books, where a free grocery distribution was underway. Outside, vegetable planters lined the sidewalk as people gathered, ate fruit and accessed services including blood pressure and vision checks.
Inside, tables were stacked with bags of fresh produce available to anyone who walked in.
Savannah, one of six co-founders, said the organization began as a mutual aid pop-up in Venice in 2021 before moving to West Adams.
Its Saturday distributions start at 11 a.m. and run while supplies last.
Produce comes in part from the group’s Community Growers Project — a network of five community gardens — as well as partnerships with the Hollywood Food Coalition and surplus donations from grocery stores including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
“It’s not just putting a Band-Aid on issues like food deserts and food sovereignty,” Savannah said. “It’s also about understanding why these systems exist and how to address the political reasons people lack access to food.”
Green Grocers
Eastside
5761 Huntington Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90032
On May Day, I met with Erika Crenshaw at Green Grocers in El Sereno. She and her wife, Patricia Torres, launched a free food distribution effort in response to the January 2025 Palisades fire.
In partnership with Food for Health AHF, the initiative began distributing free produce and protein. As demand grew, operations moved to the El Sereno Community Garden, where distributions now take place Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m.
The volunteer-run program offers more than food. Visitors can relax in the garden, listen to music, explore plant life or participate in crafts while waiting.
Crenshaw said the effort is rooted in reciprocity and community care.
“We have always persevered,” she said.
