West Valley Food Pantry in Woodland Hills was one of 15 community pantries, food banks and homeless shelters nationwide to recently receive a grant from Alternative Gifts international.
A coalition of 10 congregations in the west San Fernando Valley, the food bank provides food to the needy, homeless, hungry and working poor. According to its website, the Food Pantry serves balanced food packages to more than 4,000 clients—or 37,000 meals—each month.
The $2,100 grant came from Alternative Gifts International, which helps people give gifts of self-development goods, relief and even animals to people in third world countries on behalf of others instead of the traditional, more commercial gifts they might exchange with one another.
West Valley Food Pantry was nominated for this grant by Rand Reasoner, Pastor of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church, where the food bank is hosted. Prince of Peace Episcopal has hosted an Alternative Gift Market every fall since 2000.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.