Resources To Help Those In Need In LA County Amid Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA — The coronavirus pandemic has left Angelenos uncertain and anxious as our new normal sets in. To stop the spread of the new coronavirus, health officials have stressed the importance of social distancing and self-isolating, and urged the elderly and immunocompromised to stay out of harm's way.

However, our most vulnerable populations are the people who need the most help from their families and communities during the coronavirus pandemic. From grabbing groceries and prescriptions, to getting hot meals delivered directly to home, there are nonprofit groups and resources around Southern California to help. And if you're healthy, consider volunteering some time to help these organizations help your local community.

Here are resources available to help those in need around Los Angeles County:

1. United Way of Greater Los Angeles pledges $250,000 to help low-income people, students and families through the coronavirus outbreak.

The money will be used to buy supplies and medicine and to fund support for outreach teams to provide care and disease prevention, and it will be used to reconfigure space at shelter sites to meet emergency health standards. Additional outdoor hand-washing and hygiene stations will be purchased, according to United Way.

More information and donation instructions are available on the United Way website.

2. Project Angel Food

Project Angel Food is a nonprofit based in Los Angeles that prepares and delivers healthy meals to feed people impacted by serious illness. Project Angel Food is ramping up their services in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and have ordered 20,000 shelf stable emergency packages for their clients. They are also ramping up their frozen meal production, so that each client has three weeks of additional meals on hand as a backup.

They are also looking for healthy volunteers to help with meal prepping and dispatch. Contact Volunteer Services by emailing [email protected] or calling 323-845-1816. They are waiving the need for a full orientation for new volunteers.

For more information, visit the Project Angel Food website.

3. Meals on Wheels

There are local Meals on Wheels programs through L.A. County. Their mission is to "prepare and deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors and other vulnerable residents across Los Angeles, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, religion or ability to pay."

The St. Vincent branch of Meals on Wheels is changing the way they operate amid the coronavirus pandemic by practicing social distancing and delivering more meals per trip to cut down on the amount of times they deliver.

Some Meals on Wheels branches in L.A. County include:

• Meals on Wheels West Los Angeles
• Meals on Wheels St. Vincent (Los Angeles)
• Meals on Wheels Long Beach

Visit Meals on Wheels America to find other Meals on Wheels locations near you.

4. ElderHelpers.org

Elder Helper recruits, screens, and trains volunteers for senior care, and then makes them available for running errands. The nonprofit "strives to safely and conveniently connect these dedicated, passionate volunteers with elders in their local communities."

For more information and to find volunteers near you, visit the ElderHelpers website.

5. LA County Food Banks

If you are able, please donate to your local food pantry as they experience an influx of need during the coronavirus pandemic.

The following food banks were recommended by the California Department of Social Services. Click on the links to learn more:

Food Bank of Southern California

1444 San Francisco Avenue, Long Beach

562-435-3577

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

1734 East 41st Street, Los Angeles

323-234-3030

Other food banks in L.A. County:

Family Resource Center

22103 Vanowen Street, Canoga Park, CA 91303

(818) 884-7587

West Valley Food Pantry

5700 Rudnick Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

(818) 346-5554

6. CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program

The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program is an "optional county program that allows CalFresh recipients who are 60 years of age or older, disabled, or homeless to use their CalFresh benefits to purchase lower cost prepared meals at approved participating restaurants in certain counties," according to the California Department of Social Services website.

Los Angeles County is among the counties that participates in this program.

For more information, visit the L.A. County Department of Public Social Services website.

7. Dial 211 For Local Information

Dialing 211 includes information on support for older Americans and people with disabilities, including adult day care, community meals, respite care, home health care, transportation and homemaker services.

For more information, dial 211 or visit the Federal Communications Commission website.

8. AAA offers local transportation programs

For those unable to drive, AAA has a list of local transportation programs. These programs, called supplemental transportation programs or STPs, are "low-cost, community-based informal transportation services for seniors and are highly responsive to individual needs," the AAA website said.

A few local transportation programs listed on the AAA website are below:

Beach Cities Health District, Errand Volunteers

514 N. Prospect Avenue, Third Floor
Redondo Beach, California 90277
Phone Number: 310-374-3426

City of Whittier - Whittier Senior Center

13225 Walnut St.
Whittier, CA 90602
Phone: (562) 567-9480

Langley Senior Citizen Center - Dial-A-Ride

400 West Emerson Ave.
Monterey Park, California 91754
Phone Number: (626) 307-1396

ITN Monterey County

5 Harris Court, Building A
Monterey Park, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 233-3447

Cityride

P.O. Box 866003
Los Angeles, California 90086
Phone Number: (323) 808-7433

Jewish Family Service

330 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90036
Phone Number: (323) 932-1474

ITN Greater LA

11901 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite #431
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 310.451.1343

JFS Connect

7377 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90046
Phone Number: (323) 851-8202

Care Van, Inc.

1847 Dana St.
Glendale, California 91201
Phone Number: (818) 502-0353

Pasadena Dial-A-Ride

221 E. Walnut St., Room 199
Pasadena, California 91101
Phone Number: 626-791-7200

For more information or to find your nearest local transportation service, visit the AAA website.

Are you involved with a nonprofit or have additional resources that should be included in this round-up? Email Patch staffer Emily Holland at [email protected].

There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC's recommendations for using a facemask.
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

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