Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our nation’s food banks have increased their services by 60% and in the County of Orange the effects are no different. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a variety of hardships for residents throughout Orange County. Food insecurity levels have increased dramatically as COVID-related unemployment has forced thousands of families in our communities to make difficult financial choices. On March 23, Governor Gavin Newsom deployed California’s local corps to support food banks and distribution efforts statewide to meet this great need, and the Orange County Conservation Corps is honored to be one of 14 local corps who answered the call.
While ensuring the safety and security of our Corpsmembers, we have expanded our mission to include support of our local food distributions. Since March, a network of drive-through food pantries has been operating throughout the county to help feed people who have been affected by the pandemic. Our dedicated Corpsmembers continue to assist weekly with setup and teardowns, warehouse support, unloading food boxes, packing and delivering food, and traffic/safety control. To date, we have supported the distribution of over 13.5 million pounds of food to residents throughout the region.
The need for essential services in our communities continues as many families still face the pressure of food scarcity. The OCCC is honored and committed to working alongside nonprofits and local municipalities in Orange County as we all continue to tackle the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has presented.
Please take a moment to watch the following videos to hear from these organizations’ leaders and our Corpsmembers who work daily on the front lines for their community.
The Boys and Girls Club & The Raise Foundation
Sources:
Second Harvest Food Bank Orange County: https://www.feedoc.org
California Association of Food Banks: http://www.cafoodbanks.org/hunger-factsheet