Torrance Food Drive to Aid Families in Need

The Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach is hosting a spring food drive to support its growing meal distribution programs.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:38pm

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An abstract, out-of-focus photograph in soft, warm tones depicting the blurred silhouettes of volunteers and families at a community food drive event, conveying the compassionate spirit of neighbors helping neighbors.A community food drive provides vital support to local families struggling with food insecurity.Torrance Today

The Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach is holding a spring food drive on Saturday, April 11th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their Torrance headquarters. The center provides hundreds of thousands of free meals per year to 16 schools and local food pantries, but has seen a 237% increase in meal demand since October 2025 due to the loss of SNAP benefits for many families and rising costs of goods.

Why it matters

The Volunteer Center's food programs are a critical resource for low-income families in the South Bay, Harbor, and Long Beach areas, providing weekend meals for children whose families struggle to afford food. This spring food drive aims to restock the center's depleted supplies to meet the growing need in the community.

The details

The Volunteer Center is asking for donations of non-perishable food items like canned fruit, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, pasta sauce, and rice. The center's Food For Kids program provides a weekend's worth of meals for a four-member family at 16 local schools, accounting for over 6,000 of the 8,300 meals the center distributes weekly. This increased need has come from the loss of SNAP benefits for many families and the rising cost of goods, which has significantly impacted low-income households' ability to afford food.

  • The food drive will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • The Torrance Food Pantry is open on the first and third Thursday of each month from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • The Long Beach Food Pantry is open on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The players

Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach

A nonprofit organization that provides hundreds of thousands of free meals per year to 16 schools and local food pantries in the South Bay, Harbor, and Long Beach areas.

Jon Phelps

Program coordinator for the Volunteer Center's Food For Kids program, which provides weekend meals for low-income families.

Josh Gezahegn

President and CEO of the Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach.

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What they’re saying

“It is for the benefit of children in the lowest income neighborhoods in our community. So we serve the South Bay, Harbor, Long Beach areas. And in those communities, we noticed that students were coming back to school hungry on Mondays and that really was hampering their ability to learn and focus in school. Those families need support.”

— Jon Phelps, Program coordinator, Food For Kids

“There's also some additional requirements now in terms of just qualifying for benefits that are impacting students and families and then the rising cost of everything. Rising cost of goods that really significantly hampers family's ability to purchase food. Everything is just a lot more expensive than it used to be.”

— Josh Gezahegn, President and CEO, Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach

What’s next

The Volunteer Center is encouraging the community to donate non-perishable food items at the drive on Saturday, April 11th or at their headquarters during regular business hours. Those in need can also visit the Torrance or Long Beach food pantries for assistance.

The takeaway

The Volunteer Center's food programs are a vital lifeline for low-income families in the South Bay region, and the upcoming spring food drive is crucial to restocking their depleted supplies and meeting the growing demand for their services due to the loss of SNAP benefits and rising costs of living.