Nonprofit asks San Fernando for emergency food-distribution support; council asks staff to coordinate

Ignite the Light of Hope, a local nonprofit, told the San Fernando City Council on June 30 that demand for emergency food deliveries has risen since recent immigration enforcement actions in the region.

Multiple representatives of Ignite the Light of Hope described door-to-door food deliveries they have been operating for the past three weeks, and asked the council for financial and logistical support — including vehicle or truck rental reimbursement, gasoline and supply funding, and help finding a secure facility for distribution. Speakers said the nonprofit is serving thousands of people monthly and is seeing new requests from families who fear leaving their homes.

Several council members and staff said the city can help by promoting existing food distributions, compiling resource lists and partnering with nonprofits; the council did not commit a specific cash allocation at the meeting. Instead, council asked staff to reach out to community organizations that provide emergency food, compile a list of distribution sites and publish that information. Council members also agreed to consider re-establishing a short-term ad hoc working group to coordinate food-insecurity responses and to review potential funding or facility needs at a later meeting.

Speakers at the council meeting included Ignite volunteers who described home deliveries for seniors and families, and specific client examples to underline rising need. The council asked staff to identify both no-cost partnership options and any limited city support that could be provided promptly. If staff identifies a need for municipal funding or facilities, they were directed to return with options and estimated costs for council consideration at a future meeting.