Project Angel Food

The Project Angel Food Program was founded by Marianne Williamson as an outreach program of the Los Angeles Center for Living, which helps people with life-threatening illnesses. The Center for Living provides numerous programs, such as The Clean Team, Project Nightlight and Hospice Care. The Center for Living also prepares lunch for drop-in clients and delivers meals to homebound clients. Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson and David Kessler held the first fundraiser for Project Angel Food and raised $11,000.[2]

During the year of 1990, The Project Angel Food Program moved into the kitchen of the Crescent Heights United Methodist Church. The first "Angel Art," chaired by Berry and Tony Perkins, raised over $540,000. The Center for Living subsequently opened offices on Robertson Boulevard. Due to the needs of the HIV community, the demand for the Project Angel Food Program grows. Project Angel Food has two full-time staff.[3]

With the dramatic increase in HIV/AIDS cases in Los Angeles, the Project Angel Food Program directed its mission to focus on the community affected by the disease. In 1991, the first "Divine Design" was held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA. Divine Design featured over 50 designer showrooms and a fantasy auction, with experiences featuring a swimming pool painted by David Hockney,[4] a birthday party held at Neverland Ranch and a lunch with Barbara Bush at the White House. The event raised over $1,300,000.

As the demand for meals grew, The Center for Living formally changed its name to Project Angel Food and moved its offices to an old production office on Sunset Boulevard. In 1992, Elizabeth Taylor's AIDS Foundation gave Project Angel Food its first ever grant of $150,000, and Project Angel Food obtained its first ever government grant a year later. By 1994, over 100 individuals called for meal services each month and Project Angel Food moved into a new kitchen, funded by donations by Barry Diller, David Geffen, Barbra Streisand and Ron Burkle. Burkle agreed to underwrite rent costs on behalf of the Ralphs/Food-4-Less Foundation.[5]

In 1999, Project Angel Food served its two millionth meal and registered its 20,000th volunteer. Elizabeth Taylor accepts an Angel Award recognizing her impact on increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS, where in Los Angeles by the end of 1999 there were over 30,000 known cases.[6]

By the end of 2001, over 2.5 million meals have been served. Supporter Whoopi Goldberg is honored at the 2001 Angel Awards by Elizabeth Taylor. Over the next few years, as awareness of the program and the need for meals increased, Project Angel Food expanded their Mission Statement to include serving clients with other illnesses including cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, COPD, and others. The program also piloted a "Breakfast Program" to provide nutritionally sound breakfast meals to clients in need.

In 2006, Project Angel Food acquired a new building at 922 Vine Street in Hollywood, CA to serve as their permanent headquarters. A groundbreaking ceremony was held with Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Board Chair Merrily Newton among others. Philanthropist Wallis Annenberg presented a $500,000 leadership gift to the campaign, with other leading contributions from the Wells Fargo Foundation, the Keck Foundation, the MAC AIDS Fund,[7] and the Ahmanson Foundation. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 15, 2007 marking the official opening of our new building and the delivery of the 5 millionth meal.

In 2008, the Project Angel Food kitchen received a perfect 100% score from the Los Angeles County Department of Health. Margaret Steele took over the helm from long-time chair John Gile as the new CEO of Project Angel Food.[8] Project Angel Food's expanded mission to serve various life-threatening illnesses led to an expansion of territories throughout the greater Los Angeles community.

In 2010, the Project Angel Food Garden initiative was launched for staff and volunteers to cultivate and harvest fresh, organic vegetables and fruits to be used in meals, making use of community gardens and unused vacant plots donated by land owners. A few months later, Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-31) toured the kitchen.

In 2012, Project Angel Food served its 8 millionth meal and partnered up with skincare and cosmetics brand Kiehl's to generate additional fundraising revenue through sales of Kiehl's merchandise in their brick and mortar storefronts.[9] Additional fundraising revenue has come from Feed Beads, bracelets made by volunteers and sold at events, and Do Good Cookies, cookies baked in the Project Angel Food kitchens and sold at four Pavilions Supermarkets in Los Angeles, CA and Pasadena, CA. Project Angel Food was under the leadership of Executive Director Laurie Lang from 2013[10] to 2015. In November 2015, Richard Ayoub became the fourth Executive Director of the organization.

The organization attracted headlines when it was reported that, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were volunteering with them by personally delivering food to people's homes.[11][12][13] It was reported that the Duchess' mother, Doria Ragland, had referred them to the organization.[11]

• Meals delivered since 1989 - > 10 million
• Meals projected to be delivered in 2017 - 565,000
• Average meals delivered weekly in 2016 - 10,858
• Total volunteer hours in 2016 - 32,775
• Full-time Staff - 32

• New clients enrolled on service in 2016 - 818
• Unduplicated clients served in 2016 - 2,078
• Female clients - 44%
• Male clients - 55%
• Transgender clients - 1%
• Median age of clients - 61

• Persons living with HIV/AIDS - 24%
• Cancer - 27%
• End-stage renal disease - 15%
• Congestive heart failure - 15%
• Emphysema/COPD - 6%
• Stroke/cardiovascular accident - 5%
• Diabetes - 3%
• Alzheimer's - 2%
• Other - 4%

• Latino - 39%
• African American - 29%
• Caucasian - 21%
• Asian/Pacific Islander - 6%
• Other - 4%
• Native American - 1%