Daysi is a low-income resident of the Valley who heard of New Hope Church’s monthly food pantry through a friend who has also been receiving assistance from the pantry. Struggling to meet her monthly expenses, Daysi visited the pantry for the first time this past month. She said when she registered to receive food, she felt immediately embraced and welcomed by the pantry volunteers. Just a few conversations and some kind words exchanged with volunteers helped Daysi feel more connected to the church and the local neighborhood.

Desiring to give back as an expression of thanks for what she had received, Daysi—along with other local, low-income residents who have received food assistance from the pantry—joined together with New Hope Church volunteers in August to host a neighborhood block party. Local downtown Van Nuys neighbors and their families were able to meet one another over food, music, and games in order to form new relationships and strengthen community bonds.

Just as poverty is a complex, multi-faceted issue, so the alleviation of poverty requires a multi-faceted approach that involves addressing the holistic needs of a person as well as a commitment to long-term, sustainable community development. The donations New Hope Church has been receiving from the Rescue Mission Alliance Valley Food Bank have been an essential component in helping the church build bridges with its downtown Van Nuys neighborhood and its residents, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck and for whom food security is a regular struggle.

We are supremely grateful to the Rescue Mission Alliance Valley Food Bank and its donors, not only for the food they provide to our neighborhood, but perhaps even more importantly for what this food has helped us build: genuine relationships with our neighbors that foster human dignity and reciprocal giving/receiving, and that also help address the deepest needs of the human soul and spirit.
~Jason Wong, New Hope Pantry Coordinator