Irvine, CA — Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County hosted Hunger Action Month volunteer events at the Second Harvest Distribution Center and Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine. September is Hunger Action Month – an annual nationwide campaign that unites Food Banks, anti-hunger organizations and the public to inspire people to take action against hunger and to raise awareness for those facing food and nutritional insecurity in our communities.
“Hunger Action Month reminds us all that there are thousands of our neighbors who struggle with food and nutritional insecurity,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). “We’re also reminded that there are many caring and compassionate individuals in our communities who volunteer throughout the year to ensure their neighbors have consistent access to nourishing food and no one goes hungry.”
“Thank you to Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris for her partnership and steadfast support of Hunger Action Month, and thank you to the thousands of volunteers who give their time each year to help us ensure that our neighbors have access to the food they need to thrive,” said Claudia Bonilla Keller, CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. Throughout the month of September, we encourage everyone to take collective action to help raise awareness of the food and nutritional insecurity that exists in our Orange County community.
In Orange County, 330,000 individuals are food insecure, including 85,000 children. In the first half of 2024, Orange County’s two food banks, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Orange County Food Bank, together have collectively distributed 29,588,278 million pounds of food through their networks of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers, schools, colleges, universities and other community organizations throughout Orange County.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County provides dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food, creating a foundation for community health. Their partner network includes houses of worship, schools, after-school programs, colleges and universities, senior centers, shelters for the unhoused, soup kitchens and transitional housing facilities, with sites at 403 locations throughout the county. Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County was named the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris.
Since the launch in August 2021, Harvest Solutions Farm has produced over 6 million pounds of fresh, nutritious produce that has been distributed to those experiencing food and nutrition insecurity in our community. Each week, Harvest Solutions Farm harvests between 50,000 to 60,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is distributed within days to people in need throughout Orange County. Since April 2023, volunteers have helped harvest over 46,200 pounds of fresh produce during the Assemblywoman’s Harvest Solutions Farm volunteer events.