Demand for food in LA County 'staggering'

The number of Los Angeles County residents seeking help from food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters skyrocketed 46 percent in the last four years as the country plunged into recession, according to a report issued Tuesday. The Los Angeles Regional Foodbank report found that the number of residents seeking food assistance grew from 674,100 in 2005 to a record 983,400 last year. The number of children receiving food assistance more than doubled from 185,000 to 393,000 in that time. "This means one in 10 people in Los Angeles County are seeking food assistance," Foodbank President Michael Flood said. "The number of children has increased markedly, which is very concerning to us." Belinda Crawford, executive director of the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, said demand at her food pantry has soared 80 percent in the last two years. "We're seeing a dramatic increase," Crawford said. "We are seeing a lot of people who have lost their jobs and never thought they'd be in a position of needing services from a food pantry." The increase in need corresponds with the region's and nation's economic problems.