What began in the garage of young couple Ed and Carolyn Rose in 1971 with their mission to “Meet Each Need with Dignity” – the Pacoima-based nonprofit grew to become an indispensable lifeline for the valley’s low-income community. MEND provides food, assistance programs, resources for medical care and support services.
After decades of service, the couple retired but not before ensuring the organization would continue their mission and grow. MEND currently distributes on average 45,000 to 50,000 pounds of food per week to families that are food insecure.
Those needs were especially evident during a Christmas food giveaway last weekend.
Hundreds passed through their doors, some waiting for hours. Inside the facility, additional services from both MEND and other Los Angeles agencies including the Department of Mental Health were offered. The holidays are noted as the most stressful time of the year, especially for those struggling to make ends meet.
MEND also had plenty of toys and games to distribute to kids – including Jenga, Sorry, Monopoly and Twister.
But what had people lining around the block on Saturday, Dec. 16 was the food pantry offered through the nonprofit’s Community Nourishment Program.
They set up a large food distribution in their parking lot. Thousands of pounds of food were ready to be distributed. Volunteers stood ready at tables filled with food items, from chicken to canned goods, eggs and lettuce, cheddar cheese and frozen peaches and bread to olive oil, handing them out to any person who wanted them.
“MEND helps a lot because sometimes we [aren’t able to work] and we really need that food,” said Milagros Robles, who comes to line up at least once a week. “I want to thank everybody right here that is helping. … It’s a good thing they do.”
MEND Gives and Receives
To help meet the demand for food services from the San Fernando Valley’s most vulnerable population, MEND received $747,000 for infrastructure upgrades that will allow the facility to improve its services.
The ceremonial check was given to the nonprofit by California State Sen. Caroline Menjivar. Menjivar said the funds will be used for the expansion of the facility to allow for more people to come in and expand offices to bring on more case managers.
The money came from the $9.5 million in state funding Menjivar had secured earlier this year to invest in organizations and projects in the valley and Burbank. She had previously worked for a year at MEND as a program manager for grants and explained that she wanted to help the nonprofit extend its reach.
“We know, yes, we can put food on your table, but how are we helping the holistic needs of the community, right? Empowering the family to be able to achieve these things on their own, connecting them to jobs, helping them with their resumes, ensuring the mental health needs of our 0 to 5 years old,” Menjivar said. “It’s a one-stop shop here at MEND because they know … we have to help the needs all around that family.”
MEND was formalized into a nonprofit in 1976 and was established in Pacoima in the mid-1980s. The organization currently offers several services for low-income families in the valley, including nutrition education and both direct and indirect services for the unhoused population.
Robles, who lives in Sylmar, said she first came to MEND when she was 14 years old with her mother. She also used to volunteer for the nonprofit for around nine months, saying that “everybody needs help from somebody.”
At Saturday’s food pantry, Robles collected an assortment of vegetables, cereal, milk and chicken, as well as toys for her 3-year-old daughter. She had to wait for two hours to get inside but said, “It was worth it. You can save a lot of money.”
Although others may not come as frequently, the help is still greatly valued.
“I don’t come often, but I came today because my husband is a dialysis patient and they cut him off of his food stamps,” Lorraine Wells said. “It’s hard when your family member retires. You don’t get a lot of money.”
Wells took two buses from her home in Sylmar to get to the pantry, leaving with vegetables and laundry detergent. She said MEND has been very helpful, especially during the holiday season as she and her husband try to figure out where their next meal will come from.
She encourages others to spread the word about MEND and that those who need assistance to come, saying the nonprofit is for everybody.
That sentiment was echoed by Pacoima resident Rosa Munoz, who first heard about MEND a year ago.
“[MEND is] very helpful because you don’t need to go to the supermarket most of the time because we already have what we need,” Munoz said. “I share [this food] with my children. I have three and this [will last] for almost a month.
“I just want to thank MEND for doing all of this, especially those people that are volunteering,” Munoz continued. “I know it’s hard. Your time is really valuable, and we really appreciate them and also the donors. I would like to thank all those who are giving their contributions to share with everyone.”
Making a Difference
Maggie Gregor is the MEND program director who has worked at the nonprofit for 17 years. Having grown up in Sylmar, she has seen the impact MEND has made on the community.
“[MEND] is critical,” Gregor said. “Many of our participants … have come here for many, many years, and we know that for some participants, it’s going to be really difficult for them to move out of the current state they’re in and they’re vulnerable for a variety of reasons.”
Gregor has seen how the food pantry has evolved over the years, from boxes and bags with preset items to its current model where participants can choose the quantity of the item they want.
“We want to make sure that the families are able to select what they can use and what they know their families will like and they can go home and make those meals for their families,” Gregor said. “We have seen ever since we [made the change] that people are taking more fresh fruits and vegetables, which is exciting.”
She explained that the only qualifier needed to receive MEND’s services is that the participant is low income and they must register with the nonprofit. It’s to demonstrate their need and is a way for MEND to show that they are distributing the food as intended.
“We know that we’re making a difference,” Gregor said. “We know this based on the feedback that we get. And I can tell you firsthand, based on the time that I’ve worked here, that I do know and I see the change that we’re making, based on our conversations with participants and the feedback that we receive.”
Volunteering is a Gift to Others and Ourselves
And Gregor isn’t the only one who feels they are making a difference. Art Salter, 77, has been a volunteer for MEND ever since he retired 13 years ago. He volunteers for three other organizations, yet has continued his work with MEND for so long because he said it treats everyone it helps with respect and dignity.
He has found his experience at MEND rewarding and humbling, as he’s seen countless families who are struggling day to day due to multiple factors, including being unable to find work or adequate health care.
“It makes me appreciate what I have,” Salter said. “I don’t have to stand in line for food. I have a roof over my head. I don’t have to live on the street. [It gives me a sense of] appreciation of what I have and then a concern for people that are struggling. And when I come home from volunteering, I’m always happy because I know I did something good today.
“It’s the satisfaction of knowing that I get to do something that I love to do, and that’s giving back.”
The free food pantry is held twice a week from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays – as well as the first and third Saturday of the month.
For more information about MEND, go to https://mendpoverty.org/.