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On Saturday, March 15, at Tanaka Farms, nearly 1,000 community members from across Orange County – including many from Newport Beach – gathered for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County’s third annual Walk to Feed OC to raise funds and awareness for food and nutritional insecurity in the county.
The participants’ peer-to-peer fundraising along with event sponsorships totaled $222,834—enough to provide 11 truckloads of milk to our community.
Last fiscal year, Second Harvest distributed food through 286 partners at 394 distribution sites serving an average of 442,000 community members each month.
At the Walk to Feed OC, presented by The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation | Ralphs Food 4 Less, participants walked approximately 1.5 miles along the paths at Tanaka Farms in Irvine, including between rows of plump, vine-ripening strawberries.
“Walk to Feed OC is a powerful opportunity for local families, companies and community groups to make a difference for the one in 10 Orange County residents who are food insecure,” said Claudia Bonilla Keller, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank. “This event raises awareness and funds that are critical for our community. Together, we can ensure that our community members have reliable access to nutritious food.”
“Every step taken today was a step toward a hunger-free Orange County,” said Salvador Ramirez, Corporate Affairs Manager at Food 4 Less/Foods Co. and Ralphs Grocery Company. “Seeing our community come together—families, local businesses, and passionate individuals—all walking with purpose was truly inspiring. The energy, the support, and the commitment to making a difference prove that when we unite for a cause, real change happens.”
Second Harvest Food Bank’s vision is an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all. In collaboration with various partners, the organization provides dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food, creating a foundation for community health.
The partner network includes houses of worship, schools, after-school programs, colleges and universities, senior centers, shelters for the unhoused, soup kitchens and transitional housing facilities, with sites at 343 locations throughout the county.
In fiscal year 2023-2024, they distributed 35.8 million pounds of food to an average of 442,154 neighbors in need each month.
For more information, visit www.feedoc.org.