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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HEALTHY FOOD MAP: L.A. officials have launched an online map showing various locations providing critical food resources during the coronavirus crisis. The map includes local food pantries, markets and LAUSD's Grab-and-Go centers.

"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.

"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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