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Last year, in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were . That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an .

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Los Angeles using data from . Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Operations Associate Volunteer
- Organization: LOVE MY NEIGHBOR FOUNDATION
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Feeding the Homeless Every Wednesday (11:45am-2:30pm)
- Organization: My Friends House Foundation
- Dates: Dec 5 to Mar 1
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Volunteer Food Rescue Drivers Needed!
- Organization: PATH (People Assisting the Homeless)
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Food Pantry
- Organization: LA Promise Fund
- Date: Jan 17
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Home Delivered Meals Runner Volunteer
- Organization: St. Barnabas Senior Center
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Kitchen Assistant
- Organization: Downtown Women's Center
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Adopt-an-Item
- Organization: Union Station Homeless Services
- Dates: Jan 1 to Mar 31
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Food Distribution
- Organization: Barrio Action Youth & Family Center
- Dates: Sep 29 to Dec 22
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Pack Groceries and Home/Hygiene Essentials to Families in Need in South Central LA
- Organization: A Place Called Home
- Dates: Jan 29 to Apr 22
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DRIVE-THRU check-in for regular food distributions (PASADENA)
- Organization: Foothill Unity Center, Inc.
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Photographers
- Organization: FoodCycle LA
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Donation Outreach Team Member
- Organization: Food On Foot
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Advocate
- Organization: The Borgen Project
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Community Pet Ambassadors Needed-Paramount City
- Organization: Michelson Found Animals
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Cook meals for families in need in the Los Angeles, CA area
- Organization: Lasagna Love
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Deliver Meals on Wheels on Christmas Day
- Organization: Meals on Wheels West
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Feeding our Senior Community
- Organization: BUTTERFLY EFFECT
- Dates: Dec 1 to Feb 29
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Food & Nutrition Services Volunteer
- Organization: Kaiser Permanente LAMC
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Grocery Distribution
- Organization: FEAST
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Pantry Distribution-Food Relief for people in need (Every Wednesday)
- Organization: LONG BEACH COMMUNITY TABLE
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Food Commissary
- Organization: Q's Ministry BHITS
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Meals On Wheels Beverly Hills
- Organization: Beverly Hills Meals on Wheels
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Lead a Produce Recovery Event at the Santa Monica Wednesday Farmers Market
- Organization: Fountain Community Gardens
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Student Opportunity--Help Fight Hunger Around America's Breakfast Tables
- Organization: CEREAL4ALL INC
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Food Pantry Volunteers Needed! - Food Carry Out Volunteer Role
- Organization: St. Margaret's Center
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This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.