A Nourishing Legacy

the story of hollywood food coalition

Group of diverse people smiling and posing in front of a food truck that reads 'The Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition'.

Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition

In October 1987, homelessness in Los Angeles was growing. Encampments were appearing across the city, and more and more people were going without food. The crisis could no longer be ignored.

In response, the City of West Hollywood put out a call to the community, asking for ideas and action. A group of concerned citizens came together, determined to find a way to help. They asked themselves a simple but important question: What is the most direct way to serve people experiencing homelessness?

The answer: Food.

Our founders understood that sharing a meal was not only a way to provide nourishment but also an opportunity to build trust, listen, and understand the challenges people were facing. So they made a commitment: to serve a meal every single night, without fail. This is how the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition was born.

Group of people smiling and posing outside at night, standing behind tables with food, in an urban setting.

A Meal, A Community, A Commitment

The first meals were simple: a sandwich and a drink, prepared and served at Bethel Lutheran Church on Olympic Blvd. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

And as word spread, more people showed up, not just for food, but for the connection it provided. Within a few months, the City of West Hollywood stepped in with a small grant, helping to cover the cost of supplies, kitchen space, and transportation.

Soon, the need outgrew the church, and we moved to Plummer Park, where the number of people coming for dinner quickly multiplied. At the same time, we learned that food was being wasted all over the city, thrown out by grocery stores, restaurants, and bakeries, even as people were going hungry.

So, our volunteers started rescuing food.

We reached out to local businesses, asking for surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. Slowly but surely, these rescued ingredients transformed our nightly meals - evolving from sandwiches to hot, cooked, nutritious dinners. Our organization’s identity began to take shape: both a meal service and a model for using recovered food to serve the community.

People preparing and chopping vegetables in a restaurant kitchen during a busy shift.

FINDING A PLACE TO CALL HOME

After 18 months at Plummer Park, the number of guests had grown beyond what the park - and the city - could accommodate.

We found a quiet industrial street corner on the border of West Hollywood, providing space to serve people with dignity. For the next 28 years, this corner was our home.

Night after night, rain or shine, dinner guests and volunteers showed up. Our meal service became a constant in an unpredictable world - a place where people knew they could always find warm food and a welcoming community.

As the years passed, the street corner we called home changed, and we knew it was time to take the next step. We needed an indoor space, somewhere sustainable, where we could continue to grow. In 2017, an opportunity arose for us to serve our nightly meals at The Salvation Army Hollywood campus: by sharing a kitchen and dining room on their campus, we began providing nightly meals to our community while also supporting The Salvation Army’s youth programs. On weekdays, we served indoors, and on weekends, we still served on that street corner we called home for so long, ensuring that no one was left behind.

As our mission broadened, Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition became Hollywood Food Coalition.

Volunteers at Exchange warehouse.jpg

Growth and the Birth of the Community Exchange

Over the years, Hollywood Food Coalition continued to evolve, but nothing tested our resilience like the COVID-19 pandemic.

While other organizations shut down, we stayed open - because hunger doesn’t pause in a crisis. As food insecurity surged, we quickly expanded our efforts, launching the Community Exchange, a program designed to rescue food and distribute it to other organizations in need. What started as a meal program had now added a food recovery and distribution hub, providing resources to shelters, churches, and grassroots groups serving their own communities.

At the same time, we deepened our social services, building on a partnership with UCLA’s Mobile Clinic, which had been offering medical care to our guests since 2000. They understood that food was just the beginning - true community support meant connecting people to healthcare, housing, and resources. As one of the few programs open every night, including weekends and holidays, we became a lifeline when most other services were closed, offering care, connection, and a sense of stability when people needed it most.

HoFoCo24 Thanksgiving staff in aprons.jpg

A Vision for the Future

For almost 40 years, Hollywood Food Coalition has stayed true to its core belief: everyone deserves a good meal, and high-quality food should not go to waste when people are hungry.

The organization has been a leader in rescuing food to nourish communities, ensuring that every ingredient is put to good use.

When the pandemic hit and organizations struggled to find food, we were ready. We knew how to rescue, sort, and distribute food efficiently, making sure it went exactly where it was needed. But we didn’t stop there. We focused on maximizing the impact of rescued food - not just handing it out, but teaching people how to use it in healthy, sustainable ways.

Our mission has always been about more than just feeding people. It’s about building a system and a community where no food is wasted, and no one goes hungry.

Today, we continue to expand our work, knowing that food waste and climate change are deeply connected. We are committed to building better infrastructure and advocating for smarter food systems, ensuring that rescued food isn’t just saved, but used in ways that truly benefits the community.

And through it all, we remain exactly what we were in 1987: a group of people who believe that sharing a meal is the first step toward building a stronger, more connected world. Because real lasting change starts at the table.

more photos from hofoco history

A smiling woman wearing a floral apron and gloves preparing food at a kitchen counter with a large container of salad and various kitchen supplies around her.
Three people preparing food in a commercial kitchen, with fresh vegetables on the counter, smiling.
Close-up of a large container filled with chopped mixed salad vegetables including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, and carrots.
A woman working in a kitchen or food preparation area, placing small desserts into clear cups, with a tray of decorated desserts and foil-covered items on the counter.
A woman in a floral cardigan making mashed potatoes with slices of bread on a counter, a man in a gray shirt in the background at a kitchen counter.
Street sign reading ROMAINE STREET, with the address 7000 W, mounted on a rusted pole against a blue sky background.
A group of people standing behind a table with food at a nighttime outdoor event, with a bus in the background.
Four people in a kitchen holding a large tray of chopped vegetables and fruit.
Group of people standing behind a table filled with food donations, outside in front of a food coalition van, with palm trees and a street in the background, participating in a community food charity event.
Group of seven women standing on a sidewalk wearing aprons, smiling, in front of a beige building, some holding plates of food.
Six slices of bread topped with cucumber slices and egg salad.
Group of smiling people, including students and adults, gathered around a truck with food supplies, with a woman standing in the truck with her arms outstretched, outdoors near palm trees.
A man working in a food preparation area, holding a large container filled with bread rolls. There is a salad in a clear plastic container in front of him, with boxes and kitchen supplies in the background.
A man wearing glasses and a purple shirt that says 'Walk to End Genocide' is cooking scrambled eggs in a kitchen. He is holding an egg in his right hand. In front of him is a large mixing bowl of yellow scrambled eggs, with a spatula inside. The kitc
People lining up at an outdoor food distribution or community event, serving themselves food from trays of various dishes on a long table.
A crowd of people standing in line at a mobile phone and service booth with a blue canopy. A sign offers free mobile phones, unlimited talk and text, and includes a phone number for more information.
A young man is giving a haircut to an older man sitting on a chair outdoors on the side of a street. Several people are gathered around, some sitting, some standing, with equipment and supplies on a small table nearby.
A man receives a haircut outdoors on the street, with a tarp on the ground, while others sit at a table eating nearby.
A woman getting a tattoo on her arm at an outdoor event, with several people in the background, some eating and others standing.
Group of people standing and kneeling in front of a food truck with a tree, palm tree, and building in the background.
Group of people gathered outside around a table with baked goods, some wearing aprons, smiling and taking selfies, with cars parked in the background.
Three women preparing food in a kitchen or cafeteria, with vegetables and shredded cheese on a counter in front of them.
A man and a woman standing in a storage room near shelves filled with boxes and produce. The woman is smiling, wearing a black tank top, denim shorts, a red plaid shirt tied around her waist, and Converse sneakers. The man is holding a bag of onions,
A smiling man wearing a black t-shirt, shorts, and red sneakers stands in line at an outdoor food truck event, holding a cup and wearing gloves. There are several people behind him, some waiting in line or preparing food. The scene takes place on a s
Group of ten people posing in front of a large white bus with
Three women in a kitchen preparing food, with one woman talking to another while peeling potatoes, and a young woman in the background making salad.
A woman in a beige apron and transparent gloves is preparing a cake or dessert in a kitchen with a brick wall. She is cutting a layered cake, with other ingredients, a knife, and a large bowl of shredded or mashed potatoes on the counter.
A street market selling shoes, clothing, and other items with people browsing and shopping.
Table full of assorted plush toys, including animals, monsters, and birthday-themed stuffed animals.
Street vendors selling clothes and other items outdoors next to a white van with the text "The Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition"
People serving food at an outdoor charity event, with children receiving meals and a woman smiling while handing out food.
A man with a beard and a bald head is wearing a blue shirt and an apron. He is playfully making a roaring face while holding a hose over a large sink in a kitchen or café setting. Behind him are shelves and various kitchen supplies.
People working in a kitchen preparing food. There are vegetables, fruits, and containers of ingredients on the counter.
Community meal service with volunteers serving food outdoors at night, with a bus in the background.
Group of nine people standing outdoors at night, celebrating with a tray of bread pieces, some wearing gloves, with others making hand gestures and smiling.
People standing in a line outdoors at night, receiving food and drinks from volunteers at a community service event.
Two women with gray hair and glasses smiling in a kitchen or food pantry. They are wearing black aprons, one with the initials 'GWHFC.' They are packaging sandwiches, with several sealed sandwiches on a tray in front of them and others on a table. Sh
A group of 15 smiling and happy people posing in front of a truck with a banner that reads 'Serving the Homeless and Hungry Every Day Since 1987.' They are making peace and victory signs, some with arms raised, and appear to be celebrating.
Four volunteers in a kitchen at a food pantry or kitchen, smiling and waving, with kitchen supplies, vegetables, and canned goods around them.
People preparing and packaging food in a kitchen or cafeteria setting with various fresh vegetables and fruits on a countertop.
A man holding a large kitchen knife and a red apple in a kitchen with two women preparing fruit salads, one smiling at the camera and wearing a red apron, and the other with a red shirt in the background.
Two boys with gloves mixing mashed potatoes in a large bowl at a food pantry or kitchen, with fruits and shelves in the background.
A group of people standing behind a serving table outdoors, with food containers and a food truck, under cloudy skies.
A young man wearing glasses, a blue t-shirt, and a dark blue baseball cap with a yellow Nike logo, stands in a kitchen holding a plastic container with multiple sealed bags of food. The kitchen has pots on the stove, and various cooking supplies and
Two women preparing food in a kitchen, one chopping vegetables and the other smiling at the camera, with a large container of salad and other food items visible behind them.
A woman wearing a black t-shirt and red apron smiling and holding a large tray of salad in a commercial kitchen.
Group of people serving and enjoying food outdoors, with trays of baked goods, hot dishes, and decorated cookies on a table.
A handwritten note on white paper with blue text and a red heart, surrounded by crumpled aluminum foil. The note reads, "We hope you enjoy! Love, The Toddlers."
A young girl with dark hair in a purple tank top assembling sandwiches with ham, lettuce, and bread behind a table with more sandwiches, in a commercial kitchen.
A young boy with brown hair, wearing a red and gray striped t-shirt, is slicing zucchini with a green knife on a white cutting board in a kitchen or store with shelves of canned goods in the background.
Group of five people smiling in a kitchen, preparing sandwiches with bread, eggs, and other ingredients.
Three people preparing meat in a kitchen, smiling at the camera. One woman is wearing a hairnet, apron, and gloves, holding a knife. Another woman and a man, with dreadlocks, are also wearing gloves and holding kitchen tools, standing next to a large
Group of people in a room, some sitting and some standing, with a food catering apron, food tray, and a water pitcher, in a busy indoor setting, possibly a community center or hospital break room, with computer stations and a window.
Group of people standing in a kitchen, some wearing aprons and hairnets, with food trays and glasses on the counter in front of them.
Three people, two men and one woman, standing in a kitchen, holding kitchen utensils and smiling. They are wearing red caps with white text that says "WE CARE." The woman is wearing a black jacket, and both men are in casual shirts—one black with a C
Three people smiling and working at a food serving station with assorted baked goods and fresh produce, including bagels, donuts, and apples, in a community kitchen or cafeteria setting.
A woman and man smiling in a food pantry, with the woman holding a tomato and the man wearing a gray shirt with a blue name tag. The woman is wearing a white T-shirt that says 'maman je t'aime' and gloves.
Table filled with cans and jars of food, with additional cans on the ground and in a black basket, outside of a building with brick and large blue windows.
Back of a truck with a sign for The Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition listing supporters and donors, including foundations, churches, and organizations, with a logo of a dog with a chef's hat and fork and knife, and a website URL at the bottom.
A woman and a young man smiling and holding a white T-shirt with the logo of Hollywood Food Coalition and the text 'Caring 365 days a year.' They are inside a room with shelves and a cart, indicating a food service or charity environment.
Group of people standing next to a display board with portraits of diverse individuals, outdoors with sunlight.
Two people sitting at a table outside at a Hollywood Food Coalition event, smiling and hugging. The table has flyers, pens, and cups, with a sign displaying the organization’s name and tagline.
Two people in a kitchen preparing food, one woman and one man, both wearing aprons and hats.
Four people preparing fruit in a bright kitchen with a clock on the wall and a window showing a parking lot outside.
A person wearing a mask and baseball cap standing behind a cart loaded with bottled water in a hallway or entryway.
A woman wearing an orange T-shirt and face mask holding a large box of assorted cookies, including chocolate sprinkle and rainbow sprinkle cookies, in front of a sign that says 'Hollywood Food Coalition' and their slogan 'Caring 365 days a year.'
Four young people standing in front of a food truck with trays of cookies, smiling, at an outdoor event. Two women and two men, with the woman on the far left and the woman second from the right wearing black T-shirts with yellow text.
View of black shoes standing on a piece of paper with the handwritten message "No one should ever go hungry" on a wooden floor.
Colorful chopped vegetable salad in a clear plastic container including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and bell peppers.
A woman wearing a colorful apron is standing in a kitchen, making a surprised or excited face while preparing mashed potatoes. She is holding a large spoon in a metal bowl filled with mashed potatoes. In front of her, there are slices of bread on a c
Group of people serving food at an outdoor event at night, with a food truck and parked cars in the background.
Group of people distributing food and supplies in a parking lot during daytime with palm trees in the background, next to a vehicle with a sign for a food coalition.
Group of people smiling and standing together outdoors near a truck, with a person in a chef's hat inside the truck, and bins of food including potatoes in the foreground.
A man in a blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves and an apron, yelling or expressing surprise while hand-washing a large tray in a sink with water and dish soap. The sink is in a kitchen or cleaning area with cleaning supplies, buckets, and a chalkboard
Four women working in a busy kitchen or food preparation area, some smiling and waving at the camera.