Food Finder 211 LA: New interactive online map helps feed those in need

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Due to the pandemic, the need for food has increased tenfold in L.A. County alone. But now there's a way to connect food pantries and other organizations with those who need it most.

211 L.A. County is a nonprofit organization that has been around since 2005, helping L.A. County agencies connect people to resources related to housing, COVID-19 testing and also food.
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"We have a database of about 50,000 community resources in it that we used to make referrals and we don't have a GIS system and we wanted to make a map that people could use to easily find resources in their neighborhood or wherever they were," said Maribel Marin, 211 L.A. County executive director.

The nonprofit recently partnered with a small El Segundo startup called Slingshot Aerospace to create a GIS, or geographical information system for food mapping throughout L.A. County.
It's called Food Finder 211 LA.
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"Unlike other services, this brings data both public and private around all of those types of food resources. Children, seniors, food banks, soup kitchens- they are all inside food finder," said Melanie Stricklan, Co-founder of Slingshot Aerospace.

Watch Lori Corbin's report above to learn more.

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