LA food pantry rarely turns anyone away as poverty rate rises

We try to accommodate everybody that comes in, even if we run out of the fresh produce, etc. It's very hard for us to turn anyone away, but sometimes we do,” says Karima Hirani, food pantry coordinator at the Islamic Center of Southern California.

We try to accommodate everybody that comes in, even if we run out of the fresh produce, etc. It's very hard for us to turn anyone away, but sometimes we do,” says Karima Hirani, food pantry coordinator at the Islamic Center of Southern California. Photo by Shutterstock.

The U.S. poverty rate jumped to more than 12% as COVID programs helping with food, rent, and unemployment ended. Now food banks are seeing higher demand.

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From this Episode:

Credits

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Angie Perrin, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Brian Hardzinski, Bennett Purser, Nihar Patel, Andrea Bautista