HUNGER ACTION LOS ANGELES INC

Programs

1. Market match: hunger action la's chief program in terms of size and reach is market match, which provides bonus dollars in the form of coupons (reimbursable by us to the farmers who accept them) for california grown fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets. During 2024, there were 39 farmers markets participating in market match with hunger action la. The markets track the number of coupons distributed and spent, and the amount is reimbursed by hunger action la to the farmers market operators who in turn reimburse the farmers. The funding for the program is largely from the federal gusnip and state cnip grants, which are provided to the principal contractor the ecology center in berkeley. Hala subcontracts to the ecology center and receives monthly reimbursements from them, and pays monthly checks to the farmers market operators (adams vermont: thai cdc: eastmont community center: california farm direct: southland farmers market association: fm & lce: pasadena farmers market: healthy community project; providence health: ven a ver; and others.) in late 2023 and continuing into 2024, the county of los angeles began to also provide considerable funding to market match.…

   $2,257,892 spentof which $1,770,307 as grants$34,550 earned by the program
   78% of program spending

2. Food delivery: hunger action la created a weekly food delivery program in march 2020 as an emergency response to the covid pandemic to serve 100 to 200 homebound people who needed food. This program has continued since and in 2024 experienced growth. Hala received a grant from the kickstarter funding offered by los angeles county. The first tranche of $100,000 was received in november of 2023, and we began spending the funds in 2024. Nearly all of the work was performed by volunteers who packed the food and delivered to households. However, the kickstarter funding allowed the program to expand by 20% and to offer eggs through an innovative partnership with a farmer, nancy ramos. Funding for the food delivery program was spent on these things: - contractors daulette kimble, jose martinez, and sarah donis sorted food, bagged and delivered food;- all n one and doordash were two delivery services used to deliver meals- hala paid bills for chicken feed submitted by nancy ramos of bellacienda farms, who donated 60 dozen eggs per week beginning in may and continuing all through the year- bags and other supplies were purchased hala at the end of 2024 was serving 200 households regularly.…

   $395,808 spentof which $226,550 as grants
   14% of program spending

3. Calfresh outreach (baila): hunger action la's calfresh team completed grant activities from a subcontract to the california association of food banks in january 2024 and began activities on another subcontract with them the following month. Hala also received funding from the county food equity grant, which was used to hire two staff to work in the antelope valley. The antelope valley had been specifically designated as a geographic area in which there needed to be more outreach to populations especially seniors, to enroll in calfresh. Berta suarez and natalia sparrow were hired. Activites included: - outreach to over 3,000 persons with assistance offered to help enroll in calfresh if interested- over 2,300 screenings of persons for eligibility - completed enrollments for 171 households- creation of flyers in multiple languages including targeted flyers for outreach to unhoused individuals, persons with felony backgrounds, seniors and people with disabilities, and persons in households of mixed immigration status- regular presence at farmers markets in adams/vermont, san pedro, and norwalk to inform and assist customers interested in applying for calfresh- information sharing with…

   $157,633 spent
   5% of program spending

4. Policy advocacy: state policy: hala was very involved in state policy in 2024 due to the governor's decision to exclude california nutrition incentives program funding in the state budget. In march, hunger action la sent one staff person and one associated farmer to sacramento to explain to legislators how nutrition incentives work and how they benefit both farmers and local communities. Later in the year the funding was restored. Hala played the role of co-chair in the california hunger action coalition and coordinated southern california activities for the coalition including hunger action day in sacramento in late april. Hala brought 20 advocates including low income residents and representatives of anti-poverty organizations to sacramento for that event. Hala also participated regularly in ca4ssi, a coalition dedicated to increasing benefits and well-being for senior and disabled californians who receive supplemental security income (ssi.) county policy: hala continued to participate monthly in the food equity roundtable, an invitation based coalition run out of the county of los angeles which shared ideas on ending hunger and promoting food security in los angeles county at…

   $42,237 spent
   1% of program spending

5. The flying squad is an affiliation of individuals who desire to carry out the following charitable activities: helps the homeless by talking to them as human beings and listening to them and then by trying to figure out, in real time, how to help them survive life in the street and ultimately get off the street, into apartments of their own choosing. The flying squad hands out cards that say let's talk - simple as that - and then follows up in person right away, on a same-day basis, when a respondent calls their number on google voice or emails us to begin the conversation.

   $46,038 spent
   2% of program spending

6. Peoples guide to welfare, health and other services: hala publishes the peoples guide which has become the standard guidebook of public social services for people in need of assistance. The books were distributed largely through legal aid foundation of los angeles and neighborhood legal services of los angeles. They are usually provided free in varying quantities, including 2 free copies each for any low income person on request.

   $0 spent
   0% of program spending

7. Other projects: proyecto jardin has created an urban garden and provides education on organic agriculture, sustainable food systems, recycling to reduce the use of materials that end up in the waste stream, and food recovery and composting. Activities include education in urban agro-ecology, reclaiming ancestral foodways, and community engagement and leadership development.

   $3,911 spent
   0% of program spending

The 7 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $2,903,519.