Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced the Grocery Intervention for Vital Emergency Needs initiative, a partnership between Garcetti and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles to provide thousands of low-income Angelenos in need with $300 in cash assistance to help with food and other essentials.

“Our most vulnerable neighbors can’t wait for the end of the pandemic to get relief, and there is no greater gift we can give our fellow Angelenos right now than the ability to put food on the table and cover basic necessities,” Garcetti said. “GIVEN is the perfect present this holiday season – a chance to lift up people in a time of dire need and make a small but meaningful difference as too many families come face-to-face with the devastating health and economic impacts of COVID-19.”

GIVEN has received an initial $550,000 contribution from the Mayor’s Fund to launch the program, with the goal of raising $3 million to provide a one-time benefit to at least 10,000 households served by nonprofit organizations. Anyone who wishes to donate and help fund the initiative is urged to visit mayorsfundla.org/covid19. 

More than one quarter of L.A County households experienced food insecurity at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis and the situation has worsened, according to studies by the USC Dornsife Public Exchange.

GIVEN builds on a series of initiatives developed by Garcetti and the city to support people who have received limited assistance from the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, the mayor announced the Secure Emergency Relief for Vulnerable Employees initiative to provide 4,000 local food-service workers with a one-time $800 stipend. The mayor also launched the Angeleno Card Initiative, which raised more than $36 million to help more than 105,000 residents with direct financial assistance.

For information, visit coronavirus.lacity.org/resources.