On Wednesday, September 20th, Gasol Foundation USA attended (for the first time in-person in 3 years) the Nutrition Access LA General Meeting held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Public Health. Organized by the LA County Nutrition Program, this meeting brought together distinguished leaders in public health to discuss food and nutrition policy and insecurity, share solutions, and engage with the nutrition community.
Nutrition Access LA is a multi-sector coalition made up of partners from government, community-based organizations, advocacy, health care, school districts and other sectors working collaboratively to ensure all people in Los Angeles County have access to sufficient, nutritious, and affordable food.
According to the Food Insecurity in Los Angeles County Research Brief, food insecurity in L.A. County surged during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 34% of households experiencing food insecurity in 2020. Rates returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2001. But food insecurity has increased throughout 2022 and 2023. About 1 million L.A. County households are now food insecure.
Additional topics discussed during the coalition were techniques to advance food and nutrition policy related to nutrition insecurity, and methods to increase coordination and collaboration among Nutrition Access LA member organizations.
Participating in coalitions such as the Nutrition Access LA General meeting are crucial. Other than providing the opportunity to connect and network with prominent members of the nutrition community, they enable Gasol Foundation USA to utilize the knowledge gained in order to educate children and families in our programs and initiatives. Providing them with information on nutrition assistance programs and other nutrition and food resources is significant as they continue to navigate through policy changes and other disparities. They, along with all people in Los Angeles County, deserve to have access to sufficient, nutritious, and affordable food.
