World Harvest founder discusses serving community, offering fresh produce
LOS ANGELES - Food banks during the pandemic have become an important lifeline for families needing groceries.
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, meet World Harvest founder Glen Curado, who is the mastermind behind a new kind of food bank in the Mid-City area.
Curado finds the typical food banks lacking, even humiliating.
At the World Harvest Food Bank, you'll see plenty of fresh produce like onions, pepper and Brussel sprouts. You'll also see name brands like Jidori.
"Free range, no GMO, all the great stuff," Curado said, as he picked up a 10-pound log of drumsticks.
Curado – an Air Force veteran born in Taiwan, raised in Hawaii, before moving to California – says divine inspiration prompted him to open this new kind of food bank.
"In the morning, I heard somebody speak to me," Curado said. "I nudged my wife and said, ‘Babe, I think God just spoke to me. I have to open a food bank.'"
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In 2007, World Harvest was born. Instead of handing out pre-filled boxes of food, anyone and everyone can come and fill up a shopping cart for a donation of $40.
Kristina Wong calls herself a food bank influencer, posting her haul on social media.
While Wong is not on food stamps, she tells FOX 11 she's a fan of good deals.
"It's such a strange model because it's so generous," Wong said. "We're not used to generosity."
The generosity comes with Curado's mission to keep all of the food from being tossed into the trash.
Curado says he had no clue when he was younger that his life's purpose would involve feeding the hungry. His dreams, however, extend beyond his three-story warehouse.
"Our next step is to own a whole block and have affordable housing," Curado said.
For more information on World Harvest, you can click here for more information and on how you can volunteer.