HUNGER ACTION LOS ANGELES INC
Programs
Market Match Program
MARKET MATCH: HUNGER ACTION LA'S CHIEF PROGRAM IN TERMS OF SIZE AND REACH IS MARKET MATCH, WHICH PROVIDES BONUS DOLLARS IN THE FORM OF COUPONS (REIMBURSABLE BY US TO THE FARMERS WHO ACCEPT THEM) FOR CALIFORNIA GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS. DURING 2024, THERE WERE 39 FARMERS MARKETS PARTICIPATING IN MARKET MATCH WITH HUNGER ACTION LA. THE MARKETS TRACK THE NUMBER OF COUPONS DISTRIBUTED AND SPENT, AND THE AMOUNT IS REIMBURSED BY HUNGER ACTION LA TO THE FARMERS MARKET OPERATORS WHO IN TURN REIMBURSE THE FARMERS. THE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM IS LARGELY FROM THE FEDERAL GUSNIP AND STATE CNIP GRANTS, WHICH ARE PROVIDED TO THE PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR THE ECOLOGY CENTER IN BERKELEY. HALA SUBCONTRACTS TO THE ECOLOGY CENTER AND RECEIVES MONTHLY REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THEM, AND PAYS MONTHLY CHECKS TO THE FARMERS MARKET OPERATORS (ADAMS VERMONT: THAI CDC: EASTMONT COMMUNITY CENTER: CALIFORNIA FARM DIRECT: SOUTHLAND FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION: FM & LCE: PASADENA FARMERS MARKET: HEALTHY COMMUNITY PROJECT; PROVIDENCE HEALTH: VEN A VER; AND OTHERS.) IN LATE 2023 AND CONTINUING INTO 2024, THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES BEGAN TO ALSO PROVIDE CONSIDERABLE FUNDING TO MARKET MATCH. THIS FUNDING SUPPLEMENTS THAT WHICH WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS THAT PASS THROUGH THE ECOLOGY CENTER, AND DOES NOT DUPLICATE ANY EXPENSE INCURRED THAT IS PAID FOR BY THAT OTHER FUNDING. THIS FUNDING IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH ANOTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, SEE LA WHICH DURING 2024 AND EARLY 2025 CHANGED IT'S NAME TO FOOD ACCESS LA. MARKET MATCH CONTINUED TO BE POPULAR AS FOOD PRICE INFLATION CONTINUED TO AFFECT PEOPLE IN 2024. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER $20 PER CUSTOMER TRANSACTION FOR MARKET MATCH. HALA FUNDED $1,224,579 IN MARKET MATCH TRANSACTIONS IN 2024 COMPARED TO $761,762 IN 2023. IT IS THE FIRST YEAR WE HAVE EXCEEDED A MILLION DOLLARS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PROVIDED TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES. OF THAT AMOUNT $805,512 WAS THROUGH THE ECOLOGY CENTER INVOICES, FUNDED ULTIMATELY BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL SOURCES, AND $419,067 WAS THROUGH THE COUNTY ARPA FUNDING. THERE WERE 2,978 NEW CUSTOMERS TO THE PROGRAM AND A TOTAL OF 67,183 TRANSACTIONS ALTOGETHER. THE CUSTOMERS SPENT $1,631,637 OF THEIR CALFRESH BENEFITS TO OBTAIN THE BONUS COUPONS MEANING A TOTAL OF $2,856,216 WAS SPENT BY THEM ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BENEFITTING 285 LOCAL FARMERS AS WELL AS THEIR HOUSEHOLDS WITH NUTRITIOUS FOOD. THERE WERE 39 PARTICIPATING MARKETS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PILOT: THE MARKET MATCH HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL OVER THE YEARS, RESULTING IN LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT SIMPLIFIES MARKET MATCH, AND ALLOWS IT TO BE OPERATED AT GROCERY STORES AS WELL AS FARMERS MARKETS, BY TRANSFERRING THE BONUS BENEFITS DIRECTLY ONTO PARTICIPANTS' EBT CARDS (CALFRESH) RATHER THAN THE MARKET MATCH SYSTEM OF PROVIDING PAPER BONUS COUPONS. AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE STATE CONTRACTED WITH THE ECOLOGY CENTER TO PILOT THIS VERSION OF THE PROGRAM AT FARMERS MARKETS IN A FEW AREAS OF CALIFORNIA. HUNGER ACTION LA SUBCONTRACTED TO OPERATE THE PILOT AT THE ADAMS VERMONT FARMERS MARKET. BECAUSE THE BENEFITS ARE PUT DIRECTLY ONTO THE PARTICIPANT'S CARDS, THE ONLY EXPENSES BILLED TO THE STATE BY HUNGER ACTION LA, VIA THE MAIN CONTRACTOR THE ECOLOGY CENTER, WERE FOR PERSONNEL EXPENSES. THE POPULARITY OF THE PROGRAM EXPLODED THROUGH EFFORTS OF HUNGER ACTION LA'S ALLIES IN THE KOREAN COMMUNITY, LEADING SOMETIMES TO OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS AT THE MARKET IN ONE DAY. THIS IS ABOUT 5 TIMES THE USUAL PARTICIPANTS UNDER THE TRADITIONAL MARKET MATCH PROGRAM. THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS DID REQUIRE HUNGER ACTION LA TO HIRE ULTIMATELY 10 PEOPLE, NEARLY ALL OF THEM PART-TIME CONTRACTORS, TO MANAGE THE MARKET AND THE PARTICIPANTS, AND PROVIDE CONSTANT INTERPRETATION INTO KOREAN AS THE CLIENTELE AT THE MARKET BECAME 90% KOREAN SENIORS. IN APRIL 2024 THE CONTRACT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES EXPIRED AND HUNGER ACTION LA ELECTED NOT TO RENEW ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM. WIC PLUS AND SENIOR PLUS: 12,834 WIC PARTICIPANTS AND 1,083 SENIOR PARTICIPANTS AT FARMERS MARKETS WERE PROVIDED A TOTAL OF $356,132 IN ADDITIONAL BONUS COUPONS WE CALLED "WIC PLUS AND "SENIOR PLUS" THROUGH A GRANT PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. THESE BENEFITS, LIKE MARKET MATCH, WERE DISTRIBUTED BY HUNGER ACTION LA STAFF AT 9 PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS, NOT THE FULL NUMBER OF MARKETS PARTICIPATING IN MARKET MATCH. WHILE MARKET MATCH BONUS COUPONS "MATCH" CALFRESH BENEFITS, THE WIC PLUS AND SENIOR PLUS COUPONS "MATCH" FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM BENEFITS. THIS PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER A 2-YEAR CONTRACT WITH CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE FOR 2023 AND 2024. HALA ADMINISTERS TWO SUBCONTRACTORS: SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES OF LOS ANGELES (SEE-LA) (NOW KNOWN AS FOOD ACCESS LA) AND MODEL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM . SEE-LA WAS ISSUED $88,150 FOR BONUS COPONS IN THE SUBAWARD BY HALA, AND MODEL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM RECEIVED $36,787.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$2.3MFood Delivery Program
FOOD DELIVERY: HUNGER ACTION LA CREATED A WEEKLY FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM IN MARCH 2020 AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC TO SERVE 100 TO 200 HOMEBOUND PEOPLE WHO NEEDED FOOD. THIS PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED SINCE AND IN 2024 EXPERIENCED GROWTH. HALA RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE KICKSTARTER FUNDING OFFERED BY LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THE FIRST TRANCHE OF $100,000 WAS RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, AND WE BEGAN SPENDING THE FUNDS IN 2024. NEARLY ALL OF THE WORK WAS PERFORMED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO PACKED THE FOOD AND DELIVERED TO HOUSEHOLDS. HOWEVER, THE KICKSTARTER FUNDING ALLOWED THE PROGRAM TO EXPAND BY 20% AND TO OFFER EGGS THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH A FARMER, NANCY RAMOS. FUNDING FOR THE FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM WAS SPENT ON THESE THINGS: - CONTRACTORS DAULETTE KIMBLE, JOSE MARTINEZ, AND SARAH DONIS SORTED FOOD, BAGGED AND DELIVERED FOOD;- ALL N ONE AND DOORDASH WERE TWO DELIVERY SERVICES USED TO DELIVER MEALS- HALA PAID BILLS FOR CHICKEN FEED SUBMITTED BY NANCY RAMOS OF BELLACIENDA FARMS, WHO DONATED 60 DOZEN EGGS PER WEEK BEGINNING IN MAY AND CONTINUING ALL THROUGH THE YEAR- BAGS AND OTHER SUPPLIES WERE PURCHASED HALA AT THE END OF 2024 WAS SERVING 200 HOUSEHOLDS REGULARLY. EACH WEEK ABOUT 8 VOLUNTEERS AND ABOUT 10 DOORDASH DRIVERS TAKE THE FOOD TO THE PARTICIPANTS, WHILE OTHER PARTICIPANTS PICK UP THE FOOD THEMSELVES. THE PARTICIPANTS WERE MOSTLY REFERRED TO HALA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, CONSISTING FIRST OF THE BLIND/LOW VISION CONTINGENT OF HUNGER ACTION LA PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AND THEN EXPANDING TO REFERRALS FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES INCLUDING MANY WHO USED GOOGLE TO LOCATE HALA RESOURCES. OTHER REFERRALS COME FROM KAISER PERMANENTE , UNITE US ONLINE PLATFORM, AND OTHER CLINICS, PLUS WORD OF MOUTH. THE PARTICIPANTS CONSISTED IN A TYPICAL WEEK OF 40 LARGE FAMILIES REQUIRING LARGER AMOUNTS OF UNCOOKED GROCERIES; 100 HOUSEHOLDS COMPRISED OF SINGLE INDIVIDUALS OR COUPLES, MOSTLY SENIORS WHO RECEIVED SMALLER ALLOTMENTS THAN THE FAMILIES; AND ABOUT A DOZEN PERSONS RECEIVING PREPARED MEALS INSTEAD OF GROCERIES. IN 2024 WE OPERATED THE PROGRAM FOR 48 WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR. ABOUT 66,270 POUNDS OF FOOD WAS DONATED (AN ESTIMATE BASED ON 141 BAGS OR MEAL BOXES PER WEEK X 10 LBS OF FOOD X 47 WEEKS.) THE VALUE OF THE FOOD IS AROUND $226,550 BASED ON AVERAGE OF ABOUT $1.97 PER LB. VOLUNTEERS LOGGED IN ABOUT 2,256 HOURS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$395.8KCalFresh Outreach Program
CALFRESH OUTREACH (BAILA): HUNGER ACTION LA'S CALFRESH TEAM COMPLETED GRANT ACTIVITIES FROM A SUBCONTRACT TO THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FOOD BANKS IN JANUARY 2024 AND BEGAN ACTIVITIES ON ANOTHER SUBCONTRACT WITH THEM THE FOLLOWING MONTH. HALA ALSO RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY FOOD EQUITY GRANT, WHICH WAS USED TO HIRE TWO STAFF TO WORK IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY. THE ANTELOPE VALLEY HAD BEEN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED AS A GEOGRAPHIC AREA IN WHICH THERE NEEDED TO BE MORE OUTREACH TO POPULATIONS ESPECIALLY SENIORS, TO ENROLL IN CALFRESH. BERTA SUAREZ AND NATALIA SPARROW WERE HIRED. ACTIVITES INCLUDED: - OUTREACH TO OVER 3,000 PERSONS WITH ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO HELP ENROLL IN CALFRESH IF INTERESTED- OVER 2,300 SCREENINGS OF PERSONS FOR ELIGIBILITY - COMPLETED ENROLLMENTS FOR 171 HOUSEHOLDS- CREATION OF FLYERS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES INCLUDING TARGETED FLYERS FOR OUTREACH TO UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, PERSONS WITH FELONY BACKGROUNDS, SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLDS OF MIXED IMMIGRATION STATUS- REGULAR PRESENCE AT FARMERS MARKETS IN ADAMS/VERMONT, SAN PEDRO, AND NORWALK TO INFORM AND ASSIST CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR CALFRESH- INFORMATION SHARING WITH THE BAILA COALITION OF OVER 25 ORGANIZATIONS AND CROSS-REFERRAL TO AGENCIES THAT ASSIST WITH HEALTH CARE PROGRAM ENROLLMENT- DAILY MONITORING OF THE UNITE US WEB PORTAL FOR REFERRALS FROM OTHER AGENCIES.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$157.6K
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved to Chario Inc. (d.b.a. Impala)