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Underscoring its commitment to support the region’s most vulnerable communities, Los Angeles County today will host its 100th free drive-up food distribution event since the COVID-19 pandemic started at Good Samaritan Hospital in the Westlake area.

The giveaway, organized in partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, will also mark the 10 millionth pound of food provided to residents via drive-through events since last March under the #LetsFeedLACounty banner.

Hundreds of residents will have free 50-lb. boxes of food placed into their vehicles by disaster service workers from the County’s Library and Parks and Recreation departments. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis will be on hand to help load food boxes and thank County employees for their work to feed L.A.’s hungry this past year.

An estimated one in four County residents has suffered at least one instance of food insecurity since the pandemic started, according to a recent USC study.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic one year ago, the County of Los Angeles has helped families put food on the table through free drive-up meal distributions,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District. “As we mark our 100^th distribution, I reflect on the many residents from throughout the County I have had the pleasure of meeting – from older adults to single mothers, it has certainly been under trying circumstances. A combination of federal relief, community partnerships and a commitment to serving our most vulnerable has led to this milestone that serves as a reminder of how many families are still suffering from sustained food insecurity. With the passage of the latest federal relief bill, I am committed alongside our partners at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to serving our communities with the resources they need because no one should go to bed hungry.”

“It has now been over a year since we added the large drive-thru COVID-19 Relief Food Distributions to our list of Food Bank programs,” said Michael Flood, President and CEO of the L.A. Regional Food Bank. “We have been able to respond successfully thanks to our amazing partners, including the incredible support from Los Angeles County, which provided funding and logistic support that has benefited millions of our neighbors.”

While contents of emergency food kits vary from week to week, a typical box contains enough items to sustain a family of four for a week. The kit usually contains an assortment of fresh produce, protein, grains and beans.

The boxes also contain enrollment information about other food relief services available through the County: CalFresh monthly grocery benefits; Woman, Infant and Children nutritional support (WIC); and Older Adult Meal Programs through the Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services unit (WDACS).

“These drive-through events have been a lifeline for people in need,” said Gary Gero, the Food Branch Director for Los Angeles County’s Emergency Operations Center. “But eligible residents should enroll in WIC and CalFresh programs, as they provide ongoing support throughout the year.”

Among other food-relief milestones being met this month at the one-year mark of the pandemic in L.A. County:

• 4.5 million meals delivered to seniors in need, with local restaurants providing nutritious food to homebound residents
• 1 million meals provided to people experiencing homelessness through the Department of Health Services’ Housing for Health initiative, which conducts on-the-street deliveries and outreach
• $20 million in funding distributed to 46 community-based organizations countywide that provide direct food support to marginalized communities

Residents who are grappling with food insecurity can also call the County’s 2-1-1 help line to find resources near them. Counselors provide information in several languages.

B-roll available here (credit LA County): https://vimeo.com/498455775

Photos available here (credit LA County): https://www.flickr.com/photos/160323049@N03/sets/72157714013138431/

About Food Insecurity in Los Angeles County

The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmingly affected women, people with low incomes and the unemployed. Higher income groups that do not typically struggle to afford food have also been affected. People who have experienced food insecurity during the pandemic have the following characteristics, according to the USC study:

• Low-income, which includes un- and under-employed (82%)
• Between 18 to 40 years old (59%)
• Female (57%)
• Children in the household (50%)
• Single parent household (36%)
• Unemployed (36%)
• COVID-infected (12%)

The study also found that 40% of all Latino households, 39% of Black/African American households, 28% of Asian households and 21% of White (non-Hispanic) households in L.A. County experienced at least one instance of food insecurity during the given dates. For more detail about the study, contact Kayla de la Haye (delahaye@usc.edu) with USC’s Public Exchange – a program of the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

In a major milestone, Los Angeles County has met the state’s threshold to reopen key sectors and starting on Monday will permit a wide range of indoor operations to resume in sectors including middle and high schools; restaurants; movie theaters; gyms and museums, zoos and aquariums, all with safeguards in place.

The move into the state’s less restrictive Red Tier comes as case rates continue to fall significantly from their winter peak.

Key sectors reopening include:

The County’s Health Officer Orders and sector protocols will be updated later today to reflect the changes.

In alignment with the state’s reopening framework, mandatory masking, distancing and infection control practices remain in place for every business and permitted activity, and certain sectors have additional safety modifications required or recommended.

“This is welcome news, especially as many of our small businesses have borne the brunt of the financial fallout from this pandemic, and as our students struggle to keep up with distance learning,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District. “We have achieved this milestone and moved down to the Red Tier because as a County we worked hard, looked out for one another, and came together to defeat the dark winter surge. Although we are taking steps to re-open some of the hardest hit sectors of our economy, that in no way means we can drop our guard now. We owe it to our neighbors, our local businesses, and our children to remain vigilant so that the re-openings are safe and long-lasting — wearing masks and physical distancing remain critical. I know our residents will abide by the Health Officer Order so we can continue on this hopeful trajectory and eventually move from the Red Tier to the Orange Tier, to the Yellow Tier and ultimately, out of this pandemic. I know we will triumph and realize a future of prosperity, unencumbered by the strains of the pandemic but with the lessons we learned to uplift our communities for generations to come.”

"These key re-openings show progress in our efforts to stop this deadly virus, but we can't become complacent now. We must continue to equitably vaccinate and protect our residents who will be most impacted by the re-openings — those who teach our children, serve our food, and sell our goods. Entering the Red Tier is an important step for our economic recovery, but we can't return to the health crisis we faced recently, and I urge everyone to continue to wear a mask, to follow public health guidelines and to get vaccinated as soon as it's your turn,” said 2nd District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

“I’ve never been happier to see red. Thanks to our many County residents getting vaccinated and even more people following our public health guidance, we’ve seen a real reduction in COVID-19 cases and have entered the ‘Red Tier,’ meaning that school districts will be allowed to choose to reopen to more grades, and that we can allow expanded capacity at businesses, and even open some businesses that have been closed for months. This is very welcome news, but, in order to avoid a spike in cases, and a return to more restrictions, masking and physical distancing, especially among the millions of County residents who are not fully vaccinated, remain critical. Our forward motion is dependent on people’s willingness to follow public health guidelines and to get vaccinated when they are eligible,” said 3rd District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.

“We have slowed the spread of this virus dramatically. That means our communities are safer and we are able to safely reopen things like indoor dining and movie theaters and get our kids back to school," said 4th District Supervisor Janice Hahn. "We cannot and will not let our guard down, but this is long-awaited good news after an incredibly difficult year.”

“Los Angeles County is experiencing the lowest case levels that we have seen throughout this pandemic; and as we enter the Red Tier, we are doing so with extensive research on what activities are high risk and how we can safely begin to reopen critical parts of our community and economy,” said 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

To date, L.A. County's adjusted case rate is 5.2 new cases per 100,000 people. The test positivity rate is 2.5%, and in areas with the fewest health affirming resources, L.A. County has a test positivity rate of 3.6%.

This shift to less restrictions shows that efforts by residents to slow the spread of COVID-19 is working. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is urging people to continue taking infection control precautions to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 in our communities.

People should continue to wear face coverings when in public, continue practicing physical distancing and avoiding crowds and large gatherings. Fully vaccinated people should also continue with these practices, with some exceptions, including the ability to visit with other fully vaccinated people, indoors, without masks, per new guidance.

One year ago, Los Angeles County declared a COVID-19 emergency. 

Since March 4th, 2020, Los Angeles County has mobilized to meet our residents’ needs during the pandemic.

This short video highlights the work of our disaster service workers and their continuing public service: https://vimeo.com/519268780

Click here for additional photos and videos.

LA County Health Services today, with partners from the Tabernacle Community Development Corporation, launched a new program to expand access to free community-based COVID-19 testing in the Black community. The testing expansion is part of the Black Church COVID-19 Testing Partnership, a statewide initiative that will have 35 Black churches across California host pop-up COVID-19 testing. The program goal is to test 150 individuals at each church location daily through June 30.

The launch included drive-thru COVID-19 testing on-site at First AME Church of Los Angeles, the oldest church founded by African Americans in the city and one of the eight churches that will host COVID-19 testing sites. Testing at these church locations is free to the community regardless of health insurance status and will be available through June 30. The new testing sites at the eight churches will not require appointments, reducing barriers that can keep community members from getting tested.

Faith leaders and the church community have and continue to be a trusted source of information and influence for the Black community. Black churches will serve as a known and trusted safe space for accessing testing, given the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on the Black community.

“LA County is grateful to work alongside First AME Church of Los Angeles, a long-time leader in this community, to roll out this new program that will increase COVID-19 testing access for the County’s Black residents,” said Los Angeles County Health Services COVID-19 Testing Lead Dr. Clemens Hong. “While LA County has made strides in expanding access to COVID-19 testing, this new partnership will further ensure equitable access to testing for the Black community as testing remains a critical piece of reducing community transmission and improving health outcomes.”

“Throughout this past year, we have witnessed firsthand the disparate impacts of the pandemic on our Black communities due to years of underinvestment and structural racism,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District. “Whether it’s their physical, mental, or financial well-being, Black communities have been devastated by COVID-19. That’s why it’s important that we not only devote more time and resources to address this disparity, but we must also work with trusted community- and faith-based organizations who are best equipped to meet the needs of the communities they serve. That’s why I applaud this partnership in creating a new program to expand access to free community-based COVID-19 testing at First AME Church of Los Angeles and other Black churches across the County. Expanding access to testing remains an important step in helping slow the transmission of the virus, and that is exactly what this partnership does. The launch of this partnership comes at a pivotal moment during this year’s Black History Month where we are reminded of the ongoing work to address inequities among our Black communities.”

“In order to ensure an equitable recovery from this pandemic we must make testing and vaccinations accessible to the communities most impacted,” said Holly Mitchell, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor to the Second District. “This why I am proud that First AME Church will be an added resource for COVID-19 testing for Second District residents. Our faith-based organizations have consistently shown up for our communities. Including COVID-19 testing only strengthens our efforts to end this pandemic.”

“The opening of COVID-19 coronavirus testing sites at Black Churches across the state is a great step in the right direction,” said Rev. J Edgar Boyd, Senior Minister and CEO of First AME Church of Los Angeles. “The concept of opening testing centers in neighborhood churches makes it entirely convenient for persons to be tested in neighborhoods where they live and/or work. Today, the African American Community Empowerment Council of California, working in collaboration with the Tabernacle Community Development Corporation of San Francisco, will launch an effort to provide testing to communities that have been under-tested and under-served. Such a lack of services, in Black communities in California, and across America, has resulted in a disproportionate and an inequitable higher percentage of deaths and infections by this deadly pandemic.”

“The possibilities are unlimited when people came together in unity,” said Rev. Gerald Agee, Founder and Pastor of Friendship Christian Church, who also spoke at the launch of the Partnership.

For more information, visit https://www.aacec-cal.org/covid19testing.

About Los Angeles County Health Services
Los Angeles County Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its integrated system of 27 health centers and four hospitals - and expanded network of community partner clinics – DHS annually provides direct care for over 600,000 unique patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $6 billion. For additional information regarding DHS, please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov.

Los Angeles County-operated COVID-19 vaccination sites are open and continue to vaccinate healthcare workers and residents who are 65 and older and are due for their second dose of vaccine at these sites.

For the rest of this week, these vaccination sites are only providing second doses to those who are due for their second dose and who received their first dose at these sites

The County operated sites are:

• Pomona Fairplex in Pomona (Pfizer)
• The Forum in Inglewood (Pfizer)
• California State University, Northridge (Pfizer)
• L.A. County Office of Education in Downey (Pfizer)
• Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia (Pfizer)
• Balboa Sports Complex in Encino (Moderna)
• El Sereno Recreation Center in Los Angeles (Moderna)

To receive a vaccine at these sites you must have an appointment or be due for your second dose at one of these locations and you must provide documentation of the first dose with either a white card with the date of the first dose, a letter from Public Health, an electronic health record or a first dose confirmation email. Eligible people must receive the same type of vaccine for their second dose (either Pfizer or Moderna) as the first dose.

People who do not meet these criteria will not be vaccinated.

People who are seeking first doses should continue to check our website, VaccinateLACounty.com for available appointments at community-based sites, such as pharmacies or clinics.

People who are seeking second doses should contact the provider where they got the first dose to schedule the second dose appointment.