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Meet Malia Cary: Director of Government Affairs and Community Relations
Meet Malia Cary, Director of Government Affairs and Community Relations at Second Harvest, and learn about her role and how advocacy helps create an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all! Read More -
The Need Is Growing: New Data Reveals Rising Food Insecurity Across Orange County
Food insecurity in Orange County rose 6% in 2024, with child hunger up 27%. Second Harvest breaks down the latest Map the Meal Gap data. Read More -
Clearer Labels, Less Waste: What California’s AB 660 Means for Orange County
California's AB 660 replaces confusing food date labels with two clear terms in 2026. See what it means for food waste in Orange County. Read More -
Meet Tim Crosser: Food Processing Supervisor
Meet Tim Crosser, Food Processing Supervisor at Second Harvest, and learn about his role and how volunteers help to create an Orange County with food and nutritional security for all! Read More -
Responding Together: Supporting the Garden Grove Community
See how Second Harvest partnered with local organizations to support the community & provide food assistance during the Garden Grove incident. Read More -
Meet Jennifer Medina: Our Chief People and Culture Officer
Meet Jennifer Medina, Chief People and Culture Officer at Second Harvest, and learn how the her work makes this a great place to work for! Read More -
Meet Clarissa Green: Supporting Our Kids Cafe Program
Meet Clarissa Green, Kids Cafe Program Specialist at Second Harvest, and learn how the her work supports children across Orange County. Read More -
Honoring Our Volunteers: 2026 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon
Second Harvest recognized volunteers at its 2026 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, celebrating those helping fight food insecurity. Read More -
Meet Stephanie Harrington: Donor Relations & Special Events
Meet Stephanie Harrington, who is part of our Donor Relations & Special Events team, and learn how she bring events like Walk to Feed OC to life. Read More
Clearer Labels, Less Waste: What California’s AB 660 Means for Orange County
Clearer Labels, Less Waste: What California's AB 660 Means for Orange County
Confusing date labels can lead to safe, nutritious food being discarded unnecessarily. Many shoppers assume a “Sell By” or “Best By” date means food is no longer safe to eat, when in most cases it simply signals peak quality. That mix-up is one reason good food ends up in the trash instead of on the table.
California’s AB 660 is changing that. Signed into law in 2024 and taking effect July 1, 2026, the new law replaces the patchwork of “Sell By,” “Best By” and other inconsistent labels with two standardized terms:
- “BEST if Used By”, which indicates peak freshness. Food is generally still safe to eat after this date, even if it is no longer at its best quality.
- “USE By”, which indicates food safety. This is the date that matters most for the small number of perishable products where the date affects whether the food is safe to eat.
At Second Harvest, we rescue and distribute millions of pounds of food each year, including produce, dairy, meat and other perishables. We see firsthand how confusing labels can lead retailers and shoppers to pull good, safe food before it needs to go, and how clearer labels can help keep more of that nutritious food in our communities instead of the landfill.
It’s one example of how thoughtful food policy can support a more efficient food system and help more nutritious food reach community members across Orange County. As California moves toward standardized labeling, Second Harvest will continue working with our retail and donor partners to make sure rescued food gets where it’s needed most, safely and efficiently.
Jill Wilson decided to volunteer with Second Harvest in 2008 when she was in between jobs and looking for a way to apply her talents that could benefit the community. She arrived one day at Second Harvest’s former distribution center in Orange, ready to serve, and felt immediately connected to the mission.
Like Jill and Ian, other friends of the food bank may be looking for ways to connect meaningfully with Second Harvest to help those experiencing hunger in Orange County for years to come. One simple way to make a significant impact, while achieving peace of mind, is by creating a will or revocable living trust with our partner, FreeWill.
Last spring, here at Second Harvest we completely revamped our focus to proactively purchase fresh nutrition for those in need, ensuring a steady pipeline of protein, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables to our approximately 300 partner and program sites. As a next step, we recently unveiled our new, 6,200-square-foot cold storage facility and two additional cold docks that establish a “cold chain” at our distribution center in Irvine. This gives us a total of 14,550 square feet of cold storage, which greatly enhances our ability to source and distribute more nutritious food.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual awareness campaign that encourages us to learn about nutrition, develop healthy eating habits and discover the fun of being physically active. At Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, we strive to provide everyone in Orange County with the nutrition they need to grow and excel in life.
Second Harvest continues to fight increasing food insecurity through our Pop-Up Drive Thru food distributions with the help of many amazing volunteers and it is no surprise that many of them are mothers. Jacqueline is one such volunteer and I wanted to learn more of her story.
here to volunteer representing other mothers…to give back to the community, to be a role model to my children. As a mother, as a woman, as a friend, as a wife…you have so many hats you have to put on and one of them is giving. When I go home my daughter asks me, “Mom what did you do today?” And I say, “I got to give back to people, people that really don’t have as much as we do.” Hopefully she sees me doing this and then as she gets older, she’ll want to give back just the same way.”
Pantry. Their style traditionally has always been very welcoming and focused on building relationships with those they serve. They would put out coffee and pastries and spend time talking with the families who would come early just to socialize.
One of Nancy’s key volunteers, Mary Kaye, also shared insights. Mary Kaye is an emergency room doctor who has been spending much of her spare time serving at the Saint Timothy pantry. She began volunteering pre-COVID by taking blood pressures on pantry days and translating for Spanish-speaking clients.. All the changes have her missing conversations and connecting with the families they serve.
can take your blood pressure soon,” and encouraging them.”
Whatever the situation that keeps students on campus and struggling to feed themselves, the Fresh Basic Needs Hub at UCI remains open to serve them, supported by food from Second Harvest. Student hunger is a serious challenge, made even worse by the pandemic, but Fresh, as it’s called, has the mission to provide for the basic needs of UCI students, allowing them to focus on academics.
Last week did not feel hopeful. Seeing the injustice of the past few days makes me cringe. It causes me to grieve when I see people treated unfairly or worse. But I’m choosing to move forward with hope. How can I have hope this week? Because I know Andrea and I see how she treats people who sometimes feel trapped. The team at Fresh, and all the other college pantries in Orange County serve as a lifeline for their students, providing for basic needs and offering a dignified experience for everyone who comes to them for help. Their service is a beacon of hope in the darkness.
redirected those emotions toward survival and humility. While it was a very difficult decision, Stephen and Kristina decided that in order to make it through this crisis, they would need to receive assistance the first time in their lives. This is what it means to be newly vulnerable.