All Peoples’ Assists with COVID-19 Hunger Relief

by NBA Cares

Saundra Bryant, Executive Director, All Peoples Community Center

All Peoples Community Center is providing groceries to families in need with the help of a COVID-19 NBA Response Grant. All Peoples is an all-encompassing neighborhood center whose mission is to provide social services and programs that empower individuals and promote community, respect, and self-determination for all.

All Peoples provides social and educational services to more than 6,600 people per year in South Los Angeles’ Vernon-Central neighborhood. Services are intentionally designed to address poverty and educational needs, which are the root causes of challenges such as gang involvement, family instability and crime in the community. Mayor Eric Garcetti has declared a stay at home order for all individuals in the City of Los Angeles. All Peoples is a City of Los Angeles FamilySource Center and considered essential to the community. Our doors have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The geographic area we serve is primarily zip code 90011, where 42.2 percent of resident families have income below the federal poverty level (US Census, ACS, 2011-2015). Ninety-three percent of our food program enrolled clients have a household income of less than $17,000 per year.

All Peoples Supplemental Food Program has remained open every Friday from 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and has extended its program to enrolled and unenrolled community members providing a bag of grocery and toiletry items every Friday. With the support of the NBA Covid-19 Response Grant, All Peoples has been able to assist in COVID-19 hunger relief for many community members. Below are just a couple of their stories:

Grant Impact

  • Nancy, her husband Victor, and their four daughters ages 10, 12, 15, and 18, have been All Peoples after-school program participants for the last seven years. In December of last year, Nancy’s sister passed away due to cancer leaving behind four children. Nancy and Victor welcomed her sister’s children into their home bringing the total household to a family of 10. Victor works independently as a party favors supplier and has lost all business due to COVID-19. The family has started falling behind on bills and was able to receive assistance from All Peoples for necessities such as food and household items.
  • Alejandro is the head of a six-person household, in which he is the sole provider for his family. He normally works full-time and his wife Izaura looks after the home and their four children, aged 5, 10, 12, and 15. Normally, Alejandro’s income is enough to cover their living expenses. However, due to the pandemic, Alejandro has seen his hours severely reduced and has found himself struggling to pay bills and have leftover money for basic needs such as groceries. Alejandro was disqualified from the Economic Stimulus Payment due to having an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, a tax processing number for United States residents originally from outside the country. As bills became delinquent, some utilities were disconnected leaving him unable to be contacted regarding the Angeleno Card, a financial assistance program for in-need households provided by the Los Angeles mayor’s office. With the help of the COVID-19 NBA Response Grant, All Peoples was able to assist Alejandro and his family with groceries.

Thank you, NBA, for enabling All Peoples Community Center to make a positive impact in our South Los Angeles Community during this time of crisis. To learn more about the All Peoples Supplemental Food Program watch the video below.

Download printable version here

As the health and social services general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the National Benevolent Association partners with congregations, regions, general ministries, and a variety of Disciples-related health and social service providers to create communities of compassion and care. Founded in 1887 by six women responding to the needs of the day and on their doorsteps, for more than 130 years the NBA has continued to serve “the least of these.” Learn more at www.nbacares.org.