LARFB Closed After 8:00 a.m. & NO DELIVERIES Will Be Offered
Due to an All Staff Event, LARFB will close all warehouse operations at 8:00 a.m. To ensure a smooth pick up process, please remember that the last appointment time for pick up is 8:00 a.m.
There will be no deliveries conducted to agencies on Wednesday, April 30, if you would like your order delivered on Monday or Tuesday, please contact a member of Agency Relations.
We encourage all agencies with scheduled pick up orders to collect their items by this time. If an agency misses their appointment time, items may be picked up the following day. Thank you for your cooperation!
Federal Food Programs Update
You may have seen some recent headlines about cutbacks to the USDA’s The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and we’ve been getting questions about what this means for our network.
Like all food banks, we’ve experienced some reductions. Just under four million pounds of TEFAP food orders were recently canceled. While that’s not insignificant, we want to assure you that we’re in a strong position overall. We still expect to receive about 25 million pounds through the last three quarters of 2025, this is in addition to the 9.3 million pounds already received during the first quarter.
Our 2025 TEFAP projection is between 40 and 45 million pounds - a dip from 2024’s historical peak but still well above our historical averages.
We’re currently in the process of accepting an additional 5.7 million pounds of TEFAP bonus offerings. These bonus commodities are an important part of the program, even if they can be a bit unpredictable year to year. Thanks to the increased capacity at our new facility, we can take in every one of these opportunities - helping us maintain strong food volumes for our agency network.
All in all, the current TEFAP reductions represent less than 5% of our projected food volume for 2025. Because we rely on a diversified sourcing strategy - including USDA government programs, private donated products, and purchased food - we’re able to keep a steady stream of food flowing to our partner agencies and communities.
We’re closely monitoring the situation and will share updates if anything changes that could impact our collective work of reducing nutrition insecurity. As always, thank you for the incredible work you do every day. We’re proud to be in this together.
Please contact a member of the Agency Relations team if you have any additional questions.
The Food Bank Has a New Facility in the City of Long Beach
We are currently serving agencies that were previously picking up at our temporary hub located at the Scottish Rite Temple three days per week. We will send out additional information as our plans develop.
Information Regarding ICE
The Food Bank has received questions regarding possible ICE visits to partner agency sites. We are not experts in this field, however, we found that the ACLU Northern California website contains information that may be useful to you. Please see a link to their website below.
Congratulations to Hope Chapel Foursquare Church in Hermosa Beach for being selected as the APRIL 2025 AGENCY OF THE MONTH. It is fantastic to know that Hope Chapel’s local impact team reaches out to the poor, hungry, homeless, abused, addicted, and broken-hearted in their community, offering listening ears and referrals as needed. We look forward to a continued partnership.
Trash Policies at LARFB Warehouses
Please note that the Food Bank policies state that agencies may not dispose of trash on the Food Bank’s property. Please do not bring trash items to the warehouse for disposal. If you encounter trash at the warehouse that needs to be disposed of, please refer to the following instructions to be able to dispose of the items appropriately.
Receiving a Confirmation Email With Agency Express Orders
Confirmation Emails:
If you do not receive a confirmation email, your order has not been placed successfully. If this is the case, please contact a member of Agency Relations between 8AM - 11AM to assist with pushing your order through the system.
Agencies MUST Place Orders According to the Ordering Schedule & Receive a Confirmation Email
Ordering Schedule:
Pick up/Delivery/Shopping for MONDAYS order MUST be placed online the previous Wednesday after 5:00 p.m. to Thursday before 12:00 p.m.
Pick up/Delivery/Shopping for TUESDAYS order MUST be placed online the previous Thursday after 5:00 p.m. to Friday before 12:00 p.m.
Pick up/Delivery/Shopping for WEDNESDAYS order MUST be placed online the previous Friday after 5:00 p.m. to Monday before 12:00 p.m.
Pick up/Delivery/Shopping for THURSDAYS order MUST be placed online the previous Monday after 5:00 p.m. to Tuesday before 12:00 p.m.
Pick up/Delivery/Shopping for FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS order MUST be placed online the previous Tuesday after 5:00 p.m. to Wednesday before 12:00 p.m.
Best Practices Highlight -
Organizing Product Storage at Your Food Distribution Site
Organizing food and non-food items in your agency's food distribution storage area is essential for promoting efficiency, safety, and accessibility. To create a clean well-organized storage space, use the following key steps.
Assess Your Space
Start by evaluating the storage area. Understand the layout, dimensions, and available shelving or storage units. Understanding your design will help you determine how to best utilize the space.
Categorize Your Items
Sort the products into categories such as perishables, non-perishables, canned goods, proteins, grains, and snacks. Categorizing makes it easier to locate items quickly during distribution events.
Implement a FIFO System
Use a First In, First Out (FIFO) method for all food items. Place newer items at the back and older ones in front to ensure proper rotation so older items are used first.
Labeling
Label shelves, bins, and boxes. Use large, readable fonts and appropriate colors so volunteers and recipients can identify items quickly. Consider using pictures for items to help with language barriers.
Implementing these procedures will not only enhance the efficiency of food distribution but also minimize waste, ultimately fostering a positive experience for staff, volunteers, and your recipients.
Nutrition Services
Ingredient Highlight: Kale
Kale isn’t just for salads or smoothies—it can help reduce stress too. With magnesium to calm your nervous system and vitamin C to boost your mood and immunity, kale provides energy to face daily challenges. Next time you're feeling stressed, try some kale to help you relax.
You may not sort through products on the Food Bank’s premises.
Check In Now Requires Photo ID
When checking in at the Food Bank, agencies must provide their Agency ID card, a Photo ID card (a license, State ID, or other official documentation confirming the representative's name), and legibly write their information on the sign-in sheet.
These changes are implemented to enhance accountability and streamline our processes, ensuring that we continue to serve our communities effectively. Please see below a list of additional warehouse policies that must be adhered to while conducting business at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Civil Rights Training is mandatory training for all staff of volunteers at TEFAP Sites who interact with participants. The Food Bank Agency Relations Team offers this training monthly.
Do you need a refresher course or have new team members who would benefit from learning about online ordering, agency shopping, monthly reporting, or food distribution policies? Please ask all your staff or long-standing volunteers to attend the next virtual Food Bank 101 training!
Refresher for Online Ordering and Monthly Reporting
This refresher training is designed to review the fundamentals of monthly reporting and online ordering. If you need assistance with your reports, you are welcome to join us in this session to ask any questions you may need answered regarding your reports.
Thank you for receiving and reviewing our monthly Agency Relations Newsletter. If you have anyone on your team that you feel would also benefit from this information, please fill out the following form:
