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Palm Desert proclaims September 2025 'Hunger Action Month,' highlights Fine Food Bank partnership
Summary
The council issued a proclamation recognizing September as Hunger Action Month and heard from Fine Food Bank staff about local food distribution, SB 1383 food-rescue work and local food insecurity rates.
On Sept. 11 the Palm Desert City Council proclaimed September 2025 as Hunger Action Month and recognized Fine Food Bank's work supplying food to local residents and partner agencies.
Debbie Espinosa of Fine Food Bank told the council the organization partnered with more than 200 Feeding America affiliates nationwide and now helps feed about 150,000 people monthly through distributions and partner agencies. She said Palm Desert's food insecurity rate is about 14.3 percent and that Fine Food Bank and partners recorded more than 150,000 client engagements in the city in the last 12 months. Espinosa also described the organization's SB 1383 food-rescue efforts, saying Fine Food Bank has onboarded 14 tier-1 grocery stores and 237 tier-2 restaurants since 2022 and redistributed roughly 1,400,000 pounds of rescued food under the state's SB 1383 framework.
The proclamation directs City Hall to be lit in orange during September to raise awareness. Councilmembers and staff thanked Fine Food Bank for its pandemic-era surge in service and ongoing volunteer partnerships.
The item was presented as a ceremonial proclamation rather than a formal legislative ordinance; no vote was required beyond the mayor's proclamation and presentation.
