Arcadia City Councilman Peter Amundson leads efforts to provide support to COVID19 affected businesses through a nonprofit partnership with Foothill Unity Food Bank
The COVID19 pandemic is unprecedented in terms of its impact on shutting down mobility and businesses considered non-essential. While many industries are impacted in different ways, it has brought us back to the basics and the biggest shortage has been to those most in need, with basics such as food and household items.
Peter Amundson, City Councilman of Arcadia (former Mayor with 12 years on the council), has made it a priority to address those in the San Gabriel Valley struggling to barely make ends meet. Through a partnership with Foothill Unity Food Bank, essentials are regularly given out to these families and seniors.
After an initial response to residents’ fears and concerns, especially around a rumor that Arcadia was going to be locked down for 72 hours by the National Guard and First responders, he squashed the rumor and went to work right away.
The first call was to Foothill Unity Food Bank, a place near and dear to Peter’s heart, where he volunteers when product is available, usually twice a month. His company Minuteman Transport built their refrigerated units to store perishables. Partnerships with big name food companies allows for regular donations of perishables for the needy and especially now, with low income families first shut out by inventory shortages.
A week ago, on Tuesday, March 31st, Peter reached out to the big box companies and used his truck fleet to deliver from the food companies perishables and household items to the Monrovia facility to distribute to needy families, addressing an unprecedented increase in demand and inventory which he worked with the donors to fill.
Hundreds of families came in to pick up perishable foods, including fresh meats, fruits and vegetables, canned foods, dry, frozen, dairy products and even leftovers from restaurants, who chipped in during this time of need.
These families are low income, and each gets a shopping cart and they go in to “shop”, like one would in a regular supermarket and pick the foods for their families, amounting to over a week and a half’s supply.
And for seniors that are not as mobile, Foothill Unity delivers the products personally to their homes, through volunteer drivers. Based on USDA requirements, a balanced mix of food is delivered to their home that will last them 10 days.
This last Tuesday was one of the busiest days due to the overall shortage of food and needs, so this was a sight to be seen. Low income families and seniors were well taken care of, and the blessings were extra special in light of COVID-19 events and overall shortages.
Residents from Arcadia, including Peter’s daughter, Candice, pitched in, offering up fresh fruits and vegetables from their personal gardens.
Needs however are greater than ever and continue during the shutdown, so we encourage the community to get involved, such as disposable gloves, bags, boxes, produce, dairy products, meats, breads, rain ponchos, gift cards to grocery stores and paper items such as disposable plates and utensils, hand sanitizers, household cleaning products and volunteers for food deliveries. Please visit their website here: https://foothillunitycenter.org/how-we-help/food-programs/
You too can be part of the solution.
