Offering families a more dignified opportunity to shop and choose food that best fits their family’s individual needs
Featuring a new grocery shopping-like experience for the hundreds of families visiting each month, The Community Market now offers families the opportunity to shop for their groceries and essential items that match their specific needs and dietary preferences. This new model creates a more dignified shopping experience for clients, reduces food waste, and ensures every family can learn more about Families Forward’s services.
For many families, a visit to the food pantry is their first introduction to Families Forward, and they are likely unaware of the many other services available. Because of this, the organization is also revitalizing the overall experience of receiving food and essential items, including the implementation of a team of trained ambassadors that will cultivate relationships with those receiving food to identify what other services their family might need to prevent their dominoes from falling.
The expansion of the pantry into The Community Market features:
- A new 670-square-foot market
- An additional cold-storage walk-in, allowing for expanded storage of milk, eggs, produce
- A renovated 2,782-square-foot warehouse space to store increased amounts of food donations, shelf-stable products, and diapers
Help support our pantry
KABC Channel 7 Coverage of The Community Market at Families Forward
Help Supply Our Community Market
Food Donations
Families Forward relies almost entirely on community donations to serve over 9,000 low-income families annually.
There are three easy ways to contribute to the Food Pantry:
- Individual Food Donations: Families Forward welcomes food donations from individuals who want to help end hunger! At this time, food donations can be dropped off at our warehouse (entrance located on the side of our building – look for loading ramp) Monday-Thursday between 10:00am and 4:00pm. If you are unable to drop off during these days/hours, you may deliver donations through our front office Monday-Friday between 9:00am and 5:00pm.
- Host a Donation Drive: We make hosting a food drive easy! Click here to learn more. If you have questions about how to donate food, please send a message for our Food Drive Coordinator at fooddrives@families-forward.org.
- Shop Online: You can donate our most needed food items with just a few clicks of the mouse. Shop our Amazon Wish List and have your donated food items shipped directly to our offices. Click on the link to our wish list here.
For questions about hosting a drive, please email abenedetti@families-forward.org.
The History of Our Food Pantry
Since 1987, Families Forward has operated a community food pantry to help Orange County families at risk of or experiencing homelessness meet their basic needs. Nearly 40 years later, the need for this service is greater than ever with one in three Orange County families struggling to meet basic needs. Families Forward provides a variety of services and resources to support families who are experiencing a housing crisis. With dignity at the heart of its mission, Families Forward provides an atmosphere of respect, trust and confidentially and its new The Community Market will help ensure families have the resources they need to thrive.
The Community Market is a new initiative funded in part by Supervisor Don Wagner, District 3, Orange County Board of Supervisors; San Diego Gas & Electric Community Assistance Fund; and Harvesters, a dedicated group of women committed to raising funds and awareness for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
