• (562) 336-1833

5/11/20 PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

“In This Together” COVID-19 Emergency Response Program Bridges Food Equity Gap  with 9 Local Food Pantries to Serve Long Beach’s Most Vulnerable Communities 

Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion Focuses on Food Security During Pandemic  with Food Pantry Program Underwritten by Bridge Development Partners, in Partnership with the Office of Long Beach Councilmember Rex Richardson and Food Finders 

Long Beach—–May 11, 2020—–Nine food pantries will be opened across Long Beach beginning Monday, May 11th, as part of the “In This Together Long Beach” emergency response initiative of the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion (LBCEI), in partnership with the Office of Councilmember Rex Richardson and Food Finders.  This food security program is one of the four #InThisTogetherLB initiatives LBCEI has launched during the pandemic to help meet the needs of under-served individuals and families in the community, made possible with funding from Bridge Development Partners, Wells Fargo and the City of Long Beach. Additional funding partners include United Way and the Long Beach Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund.  

In a time when a number of food pantries have closed, some due to the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak, families financially challenged during the pandemic have had limited access to fresh, healthy food. This food pantry program will make food easily accessible in neighborhoods with greatest need. The program will also engage the faith community and local nonprofits to set up food pantries within Long Beach neighborhoods.  Nine churches and nonprofit partners will support expanded food access in North, Central, West, and Downtown Long Beach neighborhoods. Councilmember Mary Zendejas and Councilmember Roberto Uranga assisted in the initiative by recommending partner organizations who serve their neighborhoods. Each partnering organization will operate a food pantry with weekly distributions to the community. Additionally, some locations will offer other food services, such as to-go meals.  

Pantry hours and locations include: 

NORTH LONG BEACH: 

  • Pools of Hope – Thursdays from 2pm-4pm and Saturdays from 11am-1pm at 6801 Long Beach Boulevard 
  • Church One Ministries – Mondays-Fridays from 11am-1pm at 700 70th Street 
  • Light and Life Christian Fellowship – Mondays from 12pm-1pm at 5951 Downey Avenue 
  • North Long Beach Prayer Center – Fridays from 7am-1:30pm at 5239 Atlantic Avenue 

CENTRAL LONG BEACH: 

  • Grant A.M.E. Church – Wednesdays from 9am-2pm at 1129 Alamitos Avenue 

WEST LONG BEACH: 

  • Fountain of Life Covenant Church – Thursdays from 9am-3pm at 2060 Santa Fe Avenue 

DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH: 

  • Urban Community Outreach* – Sundays from 1:30-3pm at 241 Cedar Avenue 
  • Christian Outreach in Action* – Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-12pm at 515 E 3rd Street 

*To-Go meals are also offered at this site 

LBCEI is collaborating with Food Finders to stock each pantry with fresh and frozen produce, protein sources and meat, shelf-stable foods, and dried goods.  Food Finders expects to provide three million more pounds of food to people in need in the Southern California area this year, as compared to last year, in response to pandemic needs. 

Food Finders Executive Director Diana Lara said, “We are very excited to help add additional pantries in much needed areas in Long Beach. We will provide as much nonperishable and perishable food as we can for these pantries so they can help residents that live in food desert areas that don’t have grocery stores nearby.” 

“It’s always a pleasure to team up with our 9th District Councilman Richardson and community partners in meeting the needs of our citizens,” expressed Bishop W. Todd Ervin Sr. of Church One Ministries. “It’s an opportunity for us to exemplify ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

“By working with local churches and trusted community organizations, we have established and expanded a network of food pantries across North, West, Central, and Downtown Long Beach to support vulnerable families during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said 9th District Councilmember Rex Richardson. “Special thanks to the leadership of Food Finders and Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion.” 

Anyone can make a donation of food items at Food Finders at 10539 Humboldt Street in Los Alamitos between 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday.  People interested in volunteering can visit their web site www.foodfinders.org or find their Volunteer App on any mobile phone app store.  

Residents are invited to utilize their local food pantry and to share information with neighbors in need. People can learn more about the #InThisTogetherLB response at lbcei.org/inthistogether.   

About the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) 

The Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) is a new nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC) with a mission to expand inclusive economic opportunities to build and sustain wealth for all communities in Long Beach. We envision a Long Beach where entrepreneurs, youth, workers, and individuals have the tools and opportunities to successfully build vibrant neighborhoods, successful businesses, and healthy, resilient families. Our programs focus on entrepreneurship and small business support, workforce and youth development, affordable housing and homeownership, economic resiliency/connectedness.  

Web Site: lbcei.org  

Social: Facebook: @lbeconomicinclusion / Twitter: @lb_cei / Instagram: @lbeconomicinclusion / #inthistogether 

About Food Finders 

Food Finders is a nonprofit organization with the mission to eliminate hunger and food waste, while improving nutrition in food insecure communities. The organization is a 501(c)3 food rescue organization that connects donated perishable food to hundreds of nonprofit pantries and shelters throughout Southern California in order to reduce hunger and food waste, simultaneously. www.foodfinders.org 

Media Contacts: 

  • Jeff Williams, LBCEI Interim Director at lbcei.org@gmail.com or 562.336.1833 -or- 
  • Melissa Morgan, Communications Lead at 515.999.6356 

# # # 

Carl Kemp

Environmental Health Public Affairs Manager,
LA County Department of Public Health

Carl Kemp is currently the Environmental Health Public Affairs Manager with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in communications and public affairs. Prior to joining Public Health, Carl managed his own government affairs and public relations practice with a wide range of clients from international shipping to major non-profits. He also created the Office of Government Affairs and Communication in the City of Long Beach, and went on to create the Office of Government Affairs and Community Relations at the Port of Long Beach.

Kemp has a long history of community involvement in the Long Beach area, including earning a B.A. and MPA from California State University, Long Beach, where he served two terms as student body present. He also has earned a certificate in Executive Leadership from the Harvard University School of Government. He has developed messaging around many major initiatives from local to federal government, including the Green Port Policy at the Port of Long Beach. Over the years, Carl has served on many boards and has been blessed to be involved in numerous initiatives to improve the community and contribute to the people within it.

Carl’s proudest accomplishment is being a father.

VIVIAN SHIMOYAMA

President
Growth Small Business, LLC

Vivian Shimoyama has directed initiatives for public, non-profit, and private sector organizations setting strategic vision, and managing organization growth which resulted in economic impact. She is a recognized expert on small businesses and has advocated for thousands of small business owners through local, state, national and international initiatives. Dedicated to growing small businesses she heads two ventures — Growth Small Business, LLC and is the Chief Operating Officer of Scale Smarter Partners, these firms accelerate business growth through guided tools that allow companies to thrive. She advises and advocates for small businesses in a range of industries with outcomes that lead to opening doors of opportunity for entrepreneurs, strategic positioning, and focus on building operations infrastructure necessary to support growth. 

Most recently, Ms. Shimoyama was the Regional Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) Initiative for Southern California. She built a regional team and worked with national organizations to create jobs and economic growth by providing entrepreneurs with a practical business and management education program, access to capital, and business advisory support services.

She is the Chair Emeritus of the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board, National Association of Women Business Owners, and NAWBO Education Foundation, and advisor to the California Small Business Education Foundation, and University of Southern California Small Business Supplier Diversity Office. 

As a national and international leader, she has served as an appointee to the National Women’s Business Council, an independent federal government advisory council that advises the President and U.S. Congress on issues important to women owned businesses. Ms. Shimoyama has served as an elected delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business; was a member of the U.S. delegation and facilitator for the landmark 10 Downing Street Economic Summit headed by the U.K. government; U.S. delegate to the Asia-Pacific (APEC) Women and the Economy Summit, bringing together private and public sector leaders for women’s economic empowerment.  

Ms. Shimoyama has been honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners, and received the National Women In Business Advocate Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In 2020, she was selected by the New York Museum of Arts and Design as one of 45 artists that have made significant developments in art jewelry since the mid- century: 45 Stories in Jewelry: 1946 to Now features pieces and jewelry artists in the past eighty years that have broadened the scope and reach of art as a wearable medium. Shimoyama Studio is located in downtown Long Beach where her fused glass artwork is displayed along with her creation The Glass Ceiling Pin that has received national recognition for breaking invisible barriers … glass ceilings.

REV. WAYNE CHANEY

Pastor- Antioch Church, LB

Wayne Chaney personifies the contemporary spiritual leader. He uniquely bridges people from different generations, cultures, and demographics through his relevant teaching and architecture of spirited worship atmospheres. His rich family heritage of clergyman fuels his genuine love for people. He stewards a five-decade legacy left by his grandfather, Joe Chaney, Jr. as he pastors Antioch Church of Long Beach. Wayne’s determination to shift culture is permeated throughout his ministry expression, oratory and brand tentacles.

Wayne has never been satisfied with status quo so whether it is a national television show, radio show, church congregation, regional festival, or by feeding thousands of people every month, he is destined to make a difference. Chaney is the visionary of the Long Beach Gospel Fest, the city’s premier gospel event held on the beautiful shores of downtown Long Beach. This yearly gathering brings politicians, business owners, gospel singers, and over 25,000 people together for inspiration, worship and music. “Beyond the gospel music, we are witnessing the addition of something new and wonderful to Long Beach,” he said to the Los Angeles Times.

He is strongly engaged civically as the former President of the California National African American Network, SBC, Board Member of the National African American Network, and on the Executive Board of the California Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor Chaney serves on the Executive Board of Global Tribe International, whose mission is to rescue those in physical and spiritual poverty, reach communities with the gospel and recruit and empower young leaders. He is also the president emeritus of the Long Beach Ministers Alliance.

Pastor Chaney has added published author to his expanding repertoire as his novel Your Miraculous Potential: Maximizing God’s Creativity, Power and Direction is now available at retailers everywhere.

DR. JUAN BENITEZ

Director, CSULB Center For Civic Engagement

Dr. Juan M. Benitez is a father, educator, and community leader dedicated to Long Beach. He serves as the Executive Director for the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and as an Associate Professor of History at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).

With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Juan heads university-wide community engagement projects, programs, activities, and initiatives. He has helped raise close to $3 million in funding for projects in the region, working with over 100 nonprofit organizations and community groups as well as thousands of students and community members.

Through his work with the CCE, Juan helped to implement The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities initiative in Long Beach, a 10-year effort to improve neighborhood conditions that contribute to good health. Juan also worked with AmeriCorps and community groups to create a collaborative vision to address youth development, parent engagement, equity and opportunity gaps, and school discipline issues in Long Beach schools.

Juan is also the proud son of hard-working immigrants from Mexico who came to the United States to pursue a better life for their family and achieve the American Dream.

Juan was elected to the Long Beach Unified School District Board, Third District, in June 2018.

Bob Cabeza

Retired Senior Vice President of Community Development,
YMCA of Greater Long Beach

Mr. Cabeza has thirty-nine years of experience in youth development, group work, community development, administration and digital technology programming resulting in the ability to build and lead unique programs designed to better the lives of children, youth and families.  Mr. Cabeza has worked in both community development, community engagement and group work with both children, youth and families for the YMCA, Foundation for the Junior Blind and Village Camps / ETR Tours in Switzerland. His special emphasis has been to help diverse youth develop good interpersonal and working relationships with each other through both the Youth Institute and Change Agent Productions. 

Mr. Cabeza has a special focus on youth development, economic and technology equity for underserved communities as it relates to developing social, emotional, academic and workforce success.  Prior to becoming Senior Vice President of Community Development, he served as Executive Director with the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, YMCA Youth Institute Director, Associate Executive Director of the Ketchum YMCA in Los Angeles, Youth Services Director for the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, and Director of Camp and Recreation Services for The Foundation for the Junior Blind.

He is the founder and creator of both the YMCA Youth Institute and Change Agent Productions social enterprise. He is a fellow of the ZeroDivide Foundation Z-Fellows Program and has been a panelist and presenter at several national conferences.  Mr. Cabeza is the first non-school-based educator to be named an Apple Distinguished Educator by Apple Inc.

DARICK J. SIMPSON

Executive Director - Miller Foundation​

Darick J. Simpson, currently serves as the president and CEO of the Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation — one of the largest philanthropic foundations in the city. He formerly served as the executive director of Long Beach Community Action Partnership.

Simpson, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Alabama and a master’s in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, led LBCAP for the last 13 years. The nonprofit assists youth and families to reach self-sustainability.

Under Simpson’s direction, LBCAP became Long Beach’s public access television broadcast outlet and started a training program for youth in the performing arts and broadcast journalism. He grew LBCAP from a staff of 24 with a $1.3 million budget to an agency with a $10 million budget and 80 staff members.

A resident of Long Beach, Darick is a recognized leader in the community. Additionally, Mr. Simpson has served on various national, state, and regional boards including the PBS SoCal Advisory Board and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Commission.

Sharon Diggs-Jackson

Program Director, Elite Skills Development​

Sharon Jackson’s professional career includes 12 years with IBM where she served as an auditor and administrative branch manager.  Her 20-year career with the City of Long Beach included serving as an Analyst in the Long Beach Police Department’s Narcotics and Crime Analysis Divisions and Coordinator of the Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Program. For the final 10 years of her career she was the city’s Airport Public Affairs Officer.

Following her retirement in 2009, Sharon, and her husband David, began a journey to discover and connect with their family roots that landed them in Selma, AL, where they purchased and renovated a historic home in Downtown Selma.  The home has been used as a center for racial healing and social action and a learning center for students studying the Civil War, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Movement.

A student of history, Sharon is an trained genealogist and author of, Images of America:SELMA. Published in November 2014, the book has been very well received and is now in its second printing. 

Currently, Sharon serves as the Program Officer for Elite Skills Development, a non-profit organization that provides services to create pathways to self-sustainability for at-risk and under-resourced youth and young adults.

Sharon is a member of the Long Beach City College Citizen Oversight Committee, a board member of the Long Beach African American Cultural Center, the Executive Committee of the Selma Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc-Long Beach Alumnae Chapter and The Links, Inc.

CDC WORKING GROUP

Antioch Church | Carl Kemp

Antioch LB | Wayne Chaney, Jr.

City of Long Beach, Economic Development | John Keisler

City of Long Beach, Economic Development | Rebecca Kauma

City of Long Beach, Health Dept. | Katie Balderas 

City of Long Beach, Health Dept. | Kelly Colopy

Council District 9 | Rex Richardson

Council District 9, City of Long Beach | Alanah Grant

CSULB | Juan Benitez

CSULB Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Wade Martin

Elite Skills Development | Sharon Diggs-Jackson

Growth Small Business, LLC | Vivian Shimoyama

Habitat for Humanity | Dinesa Thomas-Whitman

LA County | Herlinda Chico

LA LISC | Tunua Thrash-NtukLandspire Group | Treana Allen

LB Economic Development Commission | Jessica Schumer

LB Forward | Petit Christine

LB Opera | Derrell Acon

LBCAP | Darick Simpson

LBCAP | Marisa Semense

LBUSD | Kim Johnson

LINC Housing | Suny Lay Chang

Our Essence Beauty Supply | Deidre Norville

Pacific6 | Brandon Dowling

PGWIN | Nick Schultz

PGWIN Board | Weston LaBar

POLB | Bonnie Lowenthal

Pride Real Estate Professional Association | Jacqueline Case

PV Jobs | Erik Miller

Ronnie’s House | Shirin Senegal

SHS Connections | Shawna Stevens

SoCal Grantmakers | Seyron Foo

United Cambodian Community, Midtown BID | Susana Sngiem,

Uptown BID | Doris Felix

Uptown BID | Joni Ricks-Odie

Uptown BID | Tom Carpenter

Urban Agriculture Council | Rod Dodd

USC Small Business Diversity Office | Rhonda Thornton

Villages at Cabrillo | Rene Castro

Wells Fargo | Linda Nguyen

Facilitators: 

Elite Skills Development | Sharon Diggs-Jackson 

Office of Councilmember Rex Richardson | Alanah Grant