During the summer, food banks tend to have a more difficult time getting donations. ABC7 has partnered with Vons and four regional food banks to raise money and collect food stamps.
"If you want to do well, you have to do good, and we need to be a part of this community. We've been in this community a long time," said ABC7 President and General Manager Arnold Kleiner. "We work, we live, we play in the community, and that means for our television station, putting our resources behind it, putting our money where our mouth is."
Throughout the month of July, you can purchase pre-filled bags of groceries at your local Vons and Pavilions stores. You can pay $5 at the cash register, and then the bag goes directly to an area food bank.
"Even if it's one can, every donation makes a difference, and so this is a great way to help," said Nicole Suydam, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
Another option is to donate non-perishable items to the campaign. Some suggested items include canned proteins (tuna, chicken, etc.), canned beans, peanut butter, brown rice, whole grain pasta and whole grain cereal.
ABC7's Alysha Del Valle and Garth Kemp will be at "Stuff-A-Truck" events across the Southland to help collect donations. For more information about the events, visit the Feed SoCal page on abc7.com/community.
You can also donate online to the food bank of your choice:
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Second Harvest Food Bank Inland Empire
To mail your contribution, send checks to:
Feed SoCal
P.O. Box 5967
Glendale, CA 91221
Checks can be made out to Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The funds will be divided among the four food banks unless it is designated on the memo line to a specific county.
Viewers who saw ABC7 coverage of the food drive have already been making donations. "I just hope that more people get out here," said Pasadena resident Mia Martinez. "I live down the street, saw it on the news and decided just to come out and do something."