Meals On Wheels Receives $39K To Relieve Beach Cities' Food Insecurity

SANTA MONICA, CA — Local nonprofit Meals on Wheels West saw a major increase in demand when the pandemic hit, just as face-to-face home visits became more difficult to accommodate.

But a recent $39,000 grant will help the organization deliver food and services to its clientele, which increased 71 percent during the pandemic, according to Chris Baca, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels West.

The organization focuses on relieving food insecurity by delivering weekly free and low-cost meals to locals — but its mission goes far beyond just addressing hunger. Volunteers also regularly check in on clients, the majority of which are over 60, to address their health and wellness and provide some companionship.

"It really is about delivering more than a meal," Baca said. "For us, we're trying to help people stabilize and live with dignity and independence in the place that they've chosen."

Meals on Wheels West, which serves residents in Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Pacific Palisades and Malibu, was among four local nonprofits to share $22.8 million in grant funding from Elevance Health Foundation targeted at addressing food insecurity in California.

The grant money will help fund Meals on Wheels West's weekly meal deliveries as demand and food prices remain high. The organization expects to deliver over 215,000 meals this year, and the grant money alone could provide one year of meals for 15 clients, Baca said.

Many people incorrectly assume food insecurity is not an issue in these well-known affluent areas, but Baca said there is need everywhere.

"There's hidden hunger even in the most affluent communities," Baca said. "There is a huge proem with food insecurity all over the country and specifically on the beach areas of the west side."

Over the pandemic, demand in Pacific Palisades tripled and demand in Malibu doubled, Baca said.

The money will also help supports the organization's newer program to support formerly homeless and unsheltered people, which accounts for about 26 percent of Meals on Wheel West's clients, Baca said. The organization helps newly housed Angelenos access healthcare and support resources to help make the transition to housing smoother and more effective, Baca said.

Volunteers also offer weekly phone and home check-ins to keep tabs on the most vulnerable clients.

"[We want to] help be a part of solving the issue of homelessness by providing food after shelter has been provided [and] by helping people with their COVID vaccinations and other medical problems," Baca said. "That's a great benefit of what we're doing."

Tons of volunteers, especially younger volunteers, have stepped up in the face of increased demand. People become invested in client's lives — just recently, volunteers threw a 100th birthday party for a woman who has received Meals on Wheels West's services for over a decade.

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The organization has also seen a number of corporations and businesses step up, like Amazon, which adopted one of the groups' weekly meal delivery routes.

"Everybody falls in love and develops relationships with the clients," Baca said. "It's really heartwarming and makes people feel like they're making a difference."