When I began volunteering at the Hollywood Food Coalition during Covid's scary, early days, food insecurity was ramping up and I became uber-aware of the lines at pantries, and the presence of so many hungry people in LA. Relatively new to the city, I desperately wanted to volunteer somewhere and a Google search led me to HoFoCo's website. I was so impressed by their multi-pronged approach to hunger and waste: first, rescuing many tons of fresh food (from farms, markets, bakeries, hotels, & more) that would otherwise go into dumpsters and landfills; redistributing these goodies to over 160 needy organizations throughout the city; preparing 250+ hot, delicious meals each night at their Hollywood kitchen for anyone requiring sustenance and a kind word. Soon I was volunteering many hours a week to the organization and now am a proud member of their Board, while continuing to volunteer each week.

HoFoCo has grown exponentially in the years since I joined them, with more people and organizations depending on us as we rescue more food than we can accommodate in our current warehouse. We are in such need of financial support, which is why I'm appealing to my friends and family at the very moment when we're all especially generous, gearing up for our own feasts and gatherings - definitely a moment to give back. Any contribution you make will be so appreciated, and I promise will be put to very good use. Thank you, truly - Victoria

PS: anytime you'd like to come volunteer with me, just let me know - it's SO fun and incredibly rewarding!