First, the case workers called. Then the schools. After that, the hospitals and then city officials.
Inquiries are filling the mailbox at Noel Community Organization in Long Beach with people asking: Do they have food to spare? Yes, for now, said Lina Noel at the center. Another 285 families on Saturday came to their center — outpacing the 165 orders they completed in the month prior.
A few blocks east, the same story: visits to Catholic Charities’ local chapter are up 40% in the past two weeks, with volunteers normally focused on holiday preparations doling out 4,200 pounds of food a day…