Project Angel Food Pleas For Volunteers, Donations During Coronavirus Pandemic

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Project Angel Food in Los Angeles has issued an urgent plea for volunteers and donations in response to the spread of COVID-19.

Every week Project Angel Food cooks, prepares, and delivers 15,000 meals for 1,600 clients living with critical illnesses. Over 62 percent of those clients are 60 and older and have compromised immune systems, placing them at greater risk to contract the virus.

According to Project Angel Food, in the past 48 hours, 18 volunteer groups have canceled, three fundraisers have been postponed indefinitely, and there has been an increase in demand for meals.

"Project Angel Food's response to COVID-19 is proactive and focused on ensuring that our clients not only get the meals they need today, but have emergency meals on hand should we not be able to reach them," said Executive Director Richard Ayoub.

"Our organization has been serving the chronically ill for 30 years, since the AIDS Crisis, so we are well equipped to handle today's healthcare emergency."

The Vine Street kitchen workforce — mainly fueled by volunteers — has lost 200 volunteers and 800 hours of labor. The organization is asking Angelenos who are healthy to step up and help them continue their service uninterrupted.

"This is a godsend," said Ira, one of 1,600 people who received a meal from Project Angel Food on Monday. "With all that's going on, I'm at high risk for the virus."

The organization is also actively working to raise an additional $150,000 to guarantee all of its clients will receive three weeks of extra meals including medically tailored frozen meals and shelf-stable foods.

"We are not hurting for food, we are hurting for donations," said Richard Ayoub with Project Angel Food. "Without us, they don't have a source for food."

In La Habra Monday, Northgate Market opened from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. for people 65 and older.

Interested individuals are asked to email volunteers@angelfood.org or call 323-845-1816.

The organization is accepting donations in any amount at angelfood.org.