Federal Funding, Fresh Food Arriving In Orange County To Help Sustain Food Banks

Santa Ana, CA — Today, Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) announced that Orange County’s two major food banks—Second Harvest and the Community Action Partnership (CAPOC)—will receive $3 million in federal funding to assist with their emergency food distribution efforts. The funds are being administered through the County of Orange Social Services Agency.

Second Harvest and the Community Action Partnership (CAPOC) food banks, which have distributed millions of pounds of food since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, will also receive a one-time advance payment of $500,000.

Second Harvest CEO Harald Herrmann said their Saturday pantry at the Anaheim Honda Center costs about $60,000 and serves about 4,500 people every week. In February, Second Harvest fed 250,000 people. In April, they fed almost 500,000. The CAPOC Food Bank estimates $385,000 is needed weekly to battle food insecurity in Orange County.

This funding comes hand-in-hand with the delivery of more than 30,000 boxes of fresh produce each week through December under a new US Department of Agriculture Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program. The $19 billion federal programs will also use CARES Act money to support farmers hit financially by the pandemic.

Congressman Lou Correa, who represents Anaheim, Orange, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana, has been working closely with the food banks throughout the crisis. He is a regular volunteer at drive-through food distributions and is seeing the demand first hand.

He said his district office is fielding numerous calls from constituents asking for help with food and other resources. “Until families are back on their feet, this funding and the USDA food will provide a significant shot in the arm to keep our communities healthy,” the Congressman added. 

Contact Rep. Correa’s district office at 714-559-6190 for assistance.

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