The holiday season can be a difficult time for people who sometimes have to choose between purchasing gifts or buying food for their families.

Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (top left) worked with players from Segerstrom High School’s football team during a food distribution event on Nov. 27 held by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Chargers. (photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank)

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is helping people put food on the table this December, as well as the rest of the year, and there are many ways to help.

The food bank takes in food from a variety of sources, including supermarkets and wholesalers, and public and private donors. A small army of volunteers helps package and ship the food to nonprofits and food pantries for distribution to clients, many of whom are seniors, parents, homeless individuals and others in need. In the local area, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank supports the JFS/SOVA Community Food & Resource Program in West Hollywood, and the Hollywood West Tenant Action Committee, which distributes food from a location at 5823 Willoughby Ave. The food bank estimates that community support enables it to provide food to approximately 300,000 people every month.

“We are grateful for our 30,000-plus annual volunteers and for our many food donor partners who make our work possible,” Los Angeles Regional Food Bank President and CEO Michael Flood said. “We also appreciate the many families and individuals who support the food bank with financial contributions. Monthly contributions and financial gifts of any amount are critical so we can continue to pick up food donations and distribute this food to hungry people through our agency network and food bank programs.”

The holiday season is a busy time of the year for the food bank, which has been recently receiving food and support for many different sources. One source is Starbucks, which has partnered with the food bank on the FoodShare program.

The company donates ready-to-eat meals to Los Angeles Regional Food Bank each day from 369 Starbucks locations in the Los Angeles area. The program provides more than 5.89 million pounds of food, or the equivalent of 4.9 million meals, annually in the Los Angeles County.

“Organizations like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank make it possible for our surplus food to get into the hands that need it most,” said Laura Olson, Starbucks director of global social impact. “We take great pride in supporting the communities we serve in any way we can. Through FoodShare, our partners are able to give back to people in need and address one of the most serious issues we have today, hunger.”

Flood added that the FoodShare program is making an impact.

“One in seven people in L.A. County struggles with hunger, including one in four children,” Flood said. “We are proud to work with Starbucks to ensure that people who struggle with hunger have access to wholesome meals. Starbucks FoodShare exemplifies what we can accomplish when we work together.”

The partnership with Starbucks is unique in that it involves ready-to-eat meals. The mainstay of the food bank’s work is the distribution of packaged food products that are prepared at home, said David May, director of marketing and communication for Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Through a partnership with Tyson Foods, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank donated a truckload of poultry products on Nov. 27 with the help of volunteers and players from the Los Angeles Chargers. The event at the StubHub Center in Carson included Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Chargers standout LaDainian Tomlinson.

“The Los Angeles Chargers are dedicated to building healthy communities for our region’s youth,” said Heather Birdsall, director of community partnerships for the Los Angeles Chargers. “We are proud to partner with Lift Up America, Tyson Foods and the L.A. Regional Food Bank to ensure that families in our community have access to healthy, nutritious food.”

Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is also hosting an upcoming “Eat, Drink, and Support” fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 22, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at its headquarters at 1734 E. 41st St. Chefs Bruce Kalman and Tyler Anderson will serve slices from their new Square Peg Pizza, executive chef Nick Shipp will prepare sides and greens, and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl will cater savory smoked meats from his new Backbeat BBQ. Additionally, Charm City Cakes chef Duff Goldman will offer sweet treats, and the chef-led alternative rock cover band Foie Grock will perform. Tickets are $100. For information, visit backbeatbbq.eventbrite.com.

May said the food bank also partners with organizations and private individuals who hold food drives, and volunteers are always needed. Another way to help is through their virtual food drives, which enable people to purchase food items online to be distributed to people in need. Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is also currently in need of financial donations, which help pay for the food to be shipped and distributed throughout the county.

For information about making donations, hosting a food drive or volunteering, visit lafoodbank.org.