LOS ANGELES, CA, U.S. – NorthStar Moving Company, the leading eco-luxury mover in California, has teamed with Groundwork Coffee and Compass Real Estate for this year’s Let’s Send Hunger Packing Food Drive in partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to feed hungry children in Los Angeles County.
In the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest district in the nation, nearly 80% of children live in poverty and struggle with hunger. Now that it was just announced that LAUSD students will not be returning to classrooms this fall, combined with parents continuing to be unable to work due to COVID-19 closures, many families are in dire situations.
Not only are children at home with parents working limited to no hours, but in a typical summer, many low-income children must work to help out their families. Those jobs have also mostly disappeared due to the COVID-19 crisis, making nutrition for kids and their families an even bigger challenge.
“The pandemic and its economic ripple effects are being felt throughout LA County. The support from NorthStar Moving will help the LA Food Bank reach our neighbors in need,” said Los Angeles Regional Food Bank President & CEO Michael Flood. “We are grateful for NorthStar Moving’s loyalty as they’ve donated over 22,000 pounds of food from 2014 through 2019. During the pandemic, their continued support allows the Food Bank to provide uninterrupted, nutritious food amidst the unprecedented demand within LA County.”
The eighth annual Let’s Send Hunger Packing Food Drive will be completely online to meet the critical safety and financial needs of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Donations are urgently needed and can be made here.
“This summer, kids and their families need our support more than ever,” said NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm. “We’ve held our Let’s Send Hunger Packing Food Drive for eight years now and, normally, we find we must raise awareness about the shocking truth that we have hunger in our own community. This year, I think we are all now acutely aware of the hunger crisis and how it is exacerbated by the pandemic. The LA Food Bank is making extraordinary efforts with its Summer Hunger Program to fill the need during this pandemic summer.
They are working with local school districts and with hundreds of their partner agencies in neighborhoods across the County to safely get badly needed, healthy food to children and their families. BUT, the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in many more families in need, and unplanned expenses for the LA Food Bank. I am so proud to partner with Compass and Groundwork Coffee, but we need YOU. Hungry kids need YOU. Just five dollars will feed a child for a day.”
Groundwork Coffee will be donating a portion of sales from their Beehive Matcha Latte to the Let’s Send Hunger Packing Food Drive through August 13, 2020. “Groundwork is proud to participate in NorthStar Moving’s 8th Annual Let’s Send Hunger Packing Food Drive,” said Groundwork Coffee COO Evan Dohrmann.
“Groundwork has grown quite a bit since we opened our first cafe in Venice in 1990, but one thing that has remained constant is our dedication to serving the needs of our local communities. Now, perhaps more than anytime during our 30 years of business, the City of Los Angeles needs our support. We believe that children’s access to food should be a human right, not a privilege. We’re proud to partner with NorthStar Moving and Compass Real Estate to help nourish the youth of Los Angeles. We believe that collaborative actions like food drives help to establish supportive communities in which youth and their families can thrive.”
“Giving back is one of Compass’ core tenants, and I’m proud our team enthusiastically wanted to participate in this much-needed initiative led by NorthStar Moving and the LA Food Bank,” said Gillan Abercrombie Frame, Director of the Estates Division at Compass La Cañada Flintridge. “This collective effort directly impacts children in our community. And, amid the pandemic, these kids and LA Food Bank need our help now, more than ever.”
“The future is uncertain; when will kids be back to school in the classroom full-time? Will they get those school lunches? Will the jobs return in time to put dinner on the table? We might be feeling overwhelmed by the scope of this heart wrenching problem and by our own new reality,” said McHolm. “But, let me invite you to do something simple that will make you feel good; it turns out it’s easy to do good. Join us. When we work together as a community, we can make sure all of our children are fed. Your five dollars, your fifty dollars, your five hundred dollars – working together we can truly make an impact. We are asking everyone to please join us in sending hunger packing!”
To make a monetary donation to the Let’s Send Hunger Packing 2020 Food Drive, please visit: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/lets-send-hunger-packing–2020 now.