Food Bank volunteers nearly doubled as wildfire relief strained LA’s food network
By May 20, 2025, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank reported more than 18,000 volunteers since the January 7 fires began. The organization also reported increased acquisitions and distributions as it moved food and essential supplies through its network.
Period covered: Status as of 2025-05-20
This report describes the dated record. For services available now, visit local providers.
Volunteer numbers rose with the response
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank said more than 18,000 people had volunteered since fires first erupted in Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025, nearly double the number from the previous year. The May 20 status report said the Food Bank had increased its operations and program activity to respond to people affected by the fires. [1]
The report also recorded 62 million pounds of food, water and nonfood items acquired since January 7, up 34% from the previous year’s comparison period. The Food Bank said it had distributed 58 million pounds of food and products, valued at more than $92 million, a 30% increase. Distributed items included ready-to-eat food, water and personal care products. [1]
More than 18,000 people volunteered during the reported period. Acquisitions and distributions are separate operational totals, not a calculation of warehouse inventory.
LACEHH original graphic · Sources: Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Warehouses and distribution routes
The Food Bank credited its 256,000-square-foot City of Industry distribution center, acquired in August 2020, with significantly increasing refrigerated, frozen and ambient storage, volunteer production areas and truck-loading space. Its May report said the South Los Angeles and City of Industry centers were operating without significant constraints. [1]
The distribution work ran through partner agencies, direct drive-through events, mobile food pantries and wildfire resource hubs. That required moving and storing goods as well as preparing and loading them for distribution. The Food Bank was recruiting volunteers for on-site shifts, distribution sites and partner agencies across Los Angeles County. [1]
A newly acquired Long Beach facility was serving as a distribution hub for South Bay agencies. The status report described it as an addition to the response’s distribution network alongside the South Los Angeles and City of Industry centers. [1]
A monthly measure of network reach
The Food Bank said it and its partner agencies had reached more than 1 million people per month across Los Angeles County since January and expected elevated demand to continue for several months. The report covered food and nonfood products distributed to people affected by the fires; it did not say every recipient was a wildfire survivor. [1]
Together, the volunteer count and goods totals describe the scale of the Food Bank’s response as of May 20. The report counts volunteers, pounds and monthly reach; it does not give volunteer-hour totals or identify how many people performed particular warehouse or distribution tasks. [1]
Sources & further reading
- Fires Disaster Response: status report, May 20, 2025Los Angeles Regional Food Bank · 2025-05-20 status report
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