Christian Outreach In Action

Located in Downton Long Beach, COA serves over 21,500 homeless individuals and low- families annually through our hot meals, food and clothing bank, diaper bank, legal services, and furniture distribution programs. Anyone who reaches our doors in need of one of our services is always welcomed, no one is turned away.

COA strives to provide and distribute the healthiest foods possible in bags of fresh groceries and produce that includes a protein, vegetable, salad, fruits, and desserts. We know that our programs are impacting their lives by reducing food insecurity and improving their mental and physical health because we see the progress poor people in our community are making as they access our hot meals and food bank programs daily. Most individuals and families who are homeless to not have access to kitchens to prepare food. For this reason, COA serves prepared meals every day, seven days per week. COA's Food Bank is open Tuesday and Thursday for low-income individuals and families to pick up bags of groceries and fresh produce. COA is on track to distribute 40% more bags of food over 2021.

Nearly all food prepared by COA for hot meals comes from local sources, such as, grocery stores, businesses, and other community food banks like Food Finders, LA Regional Food Bank, and Shelter Partnership. Large grocery outlets, such as, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, Ralph's and Vons chain grocery stores donate food on an ongoing basis. COA tracks the in-kind donations received every year to estimate the amount of food rescued and diverted from landfills. It is estimated that COA distributes $300,000 worth of food and products that otherwise would have been wasted.

Testimonials

John, a 69-year-old great grandfather, has chronic health issues. He supports his granddaughter and her baby while she attends school to get her GED. He relies on the food bank twice weekly to get by, since groceries have become so expensive. He recently learned about the clothing bank and is coming by on Wednesdays regularly. During the Holiday Season, he and his family received a turkey and all the fixings for Thanksgiving, and, for Christmas, his grandchild received toys as well as clothing and food for his entire family.

With five small children, Angela walks the two miles to the food bank twice weekly for fresh groceries as well as every Friday to pick up diapers for her newborn. Mom says that she and her family come to the food bank for fresh groceries which last two or three days before running out. She relies on the diaper bank for free diapers for her baby because it saves her the cost of purchasing expensive diapers at the store. Angela received Christmas blessings from COA when she received toys and clothing for her five children. Angela gratefully says, "COA has helped me and my family through a hard year."

For the first time before the Holidays, a family of three consisting of a grandfather, his granddaughter, and her 2 year old son ran out of food. Besides COA, they do not have a reliable source of fresh, healthy foods. They now drive twice weekly from Norwalk to COA where a variety of fresh, healthy foods are available.