Laguna Woods proclaims September 2025 Hunger Action Month; Second Harvest volunteer details local need

The Laguna Woods City Council proclaimed September 2025 as Hunger Action Month on Tuesday and urged residents to support local food banks and recovery programs. Council members adopted the proclamation unanimously after staff read it into the record.

The proclamation cites Feeding America—s 2023 meal-gap study, stating 359,910 people in Orange County face food insecurity. Linda Lewis, a volunteer with Second Harvest Food Bank for more than 25 years, told the council the organization distributed more than 42 million pounds of food in fiscal 2025 through pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers and schools across 23 cities in the county.

"When you go to the grocery store and you see all that fresh produce, you wonder if they can sell it before it goes bad," Lewis said, describing Second Harvest—s food-rescue program and a 40-acre farm at the Great Park that helps increase local fresh-produce distributions. She encouraged residents to volunteer, donate or otherwise support meal programs and directed listeners to FeedOC.org for ways to help.

Council members and residents acknowledged the work of volunteers and city residents who collect and deliver food to local pantries; several spoke about volunteering with Meals on Wheels and hands-on help at the farm. The proclamation also notes Laguna Woods— edible food recovery program for commercial food generators.

The council paused briefly after the vote for a proclamation photo; staff said the city would post the proclamation on its website and encourage residents to consider local donation and volunteer opportunities.