Laguna Food Pantry, Volunteers, Serve Needy One Box At A Time
LAGUNA BEACH, CA —Rep. Harley Rouda, a Laguna Beach local, was seen at the Laguna Food Pantry this week, handing out groceries and talking to those most affected during the coronavirus shutdown.
The Laguna Food Pantry, serving the community for over 25 years, goes the extra mile for the people they serve. Their clients are people in need who live, work, or attend school in or around Laguna Beach. They believe that no one should go hungry, and are helping relieve the financial pressure on families during a time of global crisis.
Rouda is working remotely for his constituents during the pandemic. He took time to hand out food on Tuesday morning, but more importantly, to speak with those in the direst need in his district, learning firsthand how COVID-19 has impacted his community.
The Laguna Food Pantry prepares boxes of groceries for their clients daily. They bag up the basics: juice, bread, eggs, fruit and vegetables, protein and a little something extra, usually flowers when available, to show some added kindness to those they serve. The pantry has seen their number of clients double since February, according to Executive Director Abbe Belyea. They recently added a new refrigerator to help carry the load of more food, more dairy and produce, and yes, more flowers.
Right now, the pantry needs canned protein, like peanut butter, tuna, beans, or salmon, to share in their weekly boxes. Donations are best first thing in the morning, they say.
Local organizations have donated funds, food, and volunteer time to the pantry, but their needs continue to grow. Those in need come to the pantry's drive-thru and receive a box of food items to get them through the coming week.
On Tuesday, Rouda was there, listening to his constituents' concerns on food insecurity, mental health, veteran's affairs.
The freshman congressman is up for reelection in November, challenged by Republican Orange County Board of Supervisors chairwoman Michelle Steel.
Though the election is looming, he remains focused on the Paycheck Protection Program, which would provide greater flexibility to small businesses, and the next round of the congressional relief package, the HEROES Act, to provide $375 billion in direct funding to cities and counties.
"These funds will ensure that firefighters, police, first responders, and health care workers are paid throughout the coronavirus crisis," he said over Facebook. "California has contributed and continues to send more funding to the federal government than it gets in return. It's time for our cities and local governments to get the assistance they paid for in hard-earned taxpayer dollars."
The congressman spoke to volunteers about the experience, congratulating them on their efforts to keep people from going hungry.
"It's incredible, the gift you're giving at such a critical time," Rouda told volunteers during the food delivery.
Volunteers can visit the Laguna Food Pantry at 20652 Laguna Canyon Road, Unit B., from 8-10:30 a.m. Monday – Friday.
This article originally appeared on the Laguna Beach Patch
