Hunger Action Los Angeles
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
HUNGER ACTION LOS ANGELES ENDS HUNGER AND PROMOTES HEALTHY EATING THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND APPROPRIATE DIRECT SERVICE. THE CHIEF PROGRAM AREA CURRENTLY IS THE MARKET MATCH PRGRAM OPERATED BY HALA AT 22 FARMERS MARKETS IN LA COUNTY PROVIDING BONUS DOLLARS TO PURCHASE FARM FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR LOW INCOME PERSONS. OTHER MAJOR PROGRAMS INCLUDE PUBLICATION OF THE PEOPLES GUIDE TO WELFARE, HEALTH AND OTHER SERVICES AND EDUCATION OF LOW INCOME PERSONS AND GENERAL COMMUNITY ON HUNGER AND PUBLIC POLICY.
- Income
- $3.0 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 98%
- Reserves
- 0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 81%
- Employees
- 19
- Volunteers
- 90
- Highest pay
- $53,814, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 60% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1598% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (7)
- $2.3 million spent. MARKET MATCH: HUNGER ACTION LA'S CHIEF PROGRAM IN TERMS OF SIZE AND REACH IS MARKET MATCH, WHICH PROVIDES BONUS DOLLARS IN THE FORM OF COUPONS (REIMBURSABLE BY US TO THE FARMERS WHO ACCEPT THEM) FOR CALIFORNIA GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS. DURING 2024, THERE WERE 39 FARMERS MARKETS PARTICIPATING IN MARKET MATCH WITH HUNGER ACTION LA. THE MARKETS TRACK THE NUMBER OF COUPONS DISTRIBUTED AND SPENT, AND THE AMOUNT IS REIMBURSED BY HUNGER ACTION LA TO THE FARMERS MARKET OPERATORS WHO IN TURN REIMBURSE THE FARMERS. THE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM IS LARGELY FROM THE FEDERAL GUSNIP AND STATE CNIP GRANTS, WHICH ARE PROVIDED TO THE PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR THE ECOLOGY CENTER IN BERKELEY. HALA SUBCONTRACTS TO THE ECOLOGY CENTER AND RECEIVES MONTHLY REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THEM, AND PAYS MONTHLY CHECKS TO THE FARMERS MARKET OPERATORS (ADAMS VERMONT: THAI CDC: EASTMONT COMMUNITY CENTER: CALIFORNIA FARM DIRECT: SOUTHLAND FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION: FM & LCE: PASADENA FARMERS MARKET: HEALTHY COMMUNITY PROJECT; PROVIDENCE HEALTH: VEN A VER; AND OTHERS.) IN LATE 2023 AND CONTINUING INTO 2024, THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES BEGAN TO ALSO PROVIDE CONSIDERABLE FUNDING TO MARKET MATCH. THIS FUNDING SUPPLEMENTS THAT WHICH WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS THAT PASS THROUGH THE ECOLOGY CENTER, AND DOES NOT DUPLICATE ANY EXPENSE INCURRED THAT IS PAID FOR BY THAT OTHER FUNDING. THIS FUNDING IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH ANOTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, SEE LA WHICH DURING 2024 AND EARLY 2025 CHANGED IT'S NAME TO FOOD ACCESS LA. MARKET MATCH CONTINUED TO BE POPULAR AS FOOD PRICE INFLATION CONTINUED TO AFFECT PEOPLE IN 2024. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER $20 PER CUSTOMER TRANSACTION FOR MARKET MATCH. HALA FUNDED $1,224,579 IN MARKET MATCH TRANSACTIONS IN 2024 COMPARED TO $761,762 IN 2023. IT IS THE FIRST YEAR WE HAVE EXCEEDED A MILLION DOLLARS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PROVIDED TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES. OF THAT AMOUNT $805,512 WAS THROUGH THE ECOLOGY CENTER INVOICES, FUNDED ULTIMATELY BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL SOURCES, AND $419,067 WAS THROUGH THE COUNTY ARPA FUNDING. THERE WERE 2,978 NEW CUSTOMERS TO THE PROGRAM AND A TOTAL OF 67,183 TRANSACTIONS ALTOGETHER. THE CUSTOMERS SPENT $1,631,637 OF THEIR CALFRESH BENEFITS TO OBTAIN THE BONUS COUPONS MEANING A TOTAL OF $2,856,216 WAS SPENT BY THEM ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BENEFITTING 285 LOCAL FARMERS AS WELL AS THEIR HOUSEHOLDS WITH NUTRITIOUS FOOD. THERE WERE 39 PARTICIPATING MARKETS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PILOT: THE MARKET MATCH HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL OVER THE YEARS, RESULTING IN LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT SIMPLIFIES MARKET MATCH, AND ALLOWS IT TO BE OPERATED AT GROCERY STORES AS WELL AS FARMERS MARKETS, BY TRANSFERRING THE BONUS BENEFITS DIRECTLY ONTO PARTICIPANTS' EBT CARDS (CALFRESH) RATHER THAN THE MARKET MATCH SYSTEM OF PROVIDING PAPER BONUS COUPONS. AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE STATE CONTRACTED WITH THE ECOLOGY CENTER TO PILOT THIS VERSION OF THE PROGRAM AT FARMERS MARKETS IN A FEW AREAS OF CALIFORNIA. HUNGER ACTION LA SUBCONTRACTED TO OPERATE THE PILOT AT THE ADAMS VERMONT FARMERS MARKET. BECAUSE THE BENEFITS ARE PUT DIRECTLY ONTO THE PARTICIPANT'S CARDS, THE ONLY EXPENSES BILLED TO THE STATE BY HUNGER ACTION LA, VIA THE MAIN CONTRACTOR THE ECOLOGY CENTER, WERE FOR PERSONNEL EXPENSES. THE POPULARITY OF THE PROGRAM EXPLODED THROUGH EFFORTS OF HUNGER ACTION LA'S ALLIES IN THE KOREAN COMMUNITY, LEADING SOMETIMES TO OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS AT THE MARKET IN ONE DAY. THIS IS ABOUT 5 TIMES THE USUAL PARTICIPANTS UNDER THE TRADITIONAL MARKET MATCH PROGRAM. THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS DID REQUIRE HUNGER ACTION LA TO HIRE ULTIMATELY 10 PEOPLE, NEARLY ALL OF THEM PART-TIME CONTRACTORS, TO MANAGE THE MARKET AND THE PARTICIPANTS, AND PROVIDE CONSTANT INTERPRETATION INTO KOREAN AS THE CLIENTELE AT THE MARKET BECAME 90% KOREAN SENIORS. IN APRIL 2024 THE CONTRACT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES EXPIRED AND HUNGER ACTION LA ELECTED NOT TO RENEW ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM. WIC PLUS AND SENIOR PLUS: 12,834 WIC PARTICIPANTS AND 1,083 SENIOR PARTICIPANTS AT FARMERS MARKETS WERE PROVIDED A TOTAL OF $356,132 IN ADDITIONAL BONUS COUPONS WE CALLED "WIC PLUS AND "SENIOR PLUS" THROUGH A GRANT PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. THESE BENEFITS, LIKE MARKET MATCH, WERE DISTRIBUTED BY HUNGER ACTION LA STAFF AT 9 PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS, NOT THE FULL NUMBER OF MARKETS PARTICIPATING IN MARKET MATCH. WHILE MARKET MATCH BONUS COUPONS "MATCH" CALFRESH BENEFITS, THE WIC PLUS AND SENIOR PLUS COUPONS "MATCH" FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM BENEFITS. THIS PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER A 2-YEAR CONTRACT WITH CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE FOR 2023 AND 2024. HALA ADMINISTERS TWO SUBCONTRACTORS: SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES OF LOS ANGELES (SEE-LA) (NOW KNOWN AS FOOD ACCESS LA) AND MODEL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM . SEE-LA WAS ISSUED $88,150 FOR BONUS COPONS IN THE SUBAWARD BY HALA, AND MODEL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM RECEIVED $36,787.
- $395,808 spent. FOOD DELIVERY: HUNGER ACTION LA CREATED A WEEKLY FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM IN MARCH 2020 AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC TO SERVE 100 TO 200 HOMEBOUND PEOPLE WHO NEEDED FOOD. THIS PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED SINCE AND IN 2024 EXPERIENCED GROWTH. HALA RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE KICKSTARTER FUNDING OFFERED BY LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THE FIRST TRANCHE OF $100,000 WAS RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, AND WE BEGAN SPENDING THE FUNDS IN 2024. NEARLY ALL OF THE WORK WAS PERFORMED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO PACKED THE FOOD AND DELIVERED TO HOUSEHOLDS. HOWEVER, THE KICKSTARTER FUNDING ALLOWED THE PROGRAM TO EXPAND BY 20% AND TO OFFER EGGS THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH A FARMER, NANCY RAMOS. FUNDING FOR THE FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM WAS SPENT ON THESE THINGS: - CONTRACTORS DAULETTE KIMBLE, JOSE MARTINEZ, AND SARAH DONIS SORTED FOOD, BAGGED AND DELIVERED FOOD;- ALL N ONE AND DOORDASH WERE TWO DELIVERY SERVICES USED TO DELIVER MEALS- HALA PAID BILLS FOR CHICKEN FEED SUBMITTED BY NANCY RAMOS OF BELLACIENDA FARMS, WHO DONATED 60 DOZEN EGGS PER WEEK BEGINNING IN MAY AND CONTINUING ALL THROUGH THE YEAR- BAGS AND OTHER SUPPLIES WERE PURCHASED HALA AT THE END OF 2024 WAS SERVING 200 HOUSEHOLDS REGULARLY. EACH WEEK ABOUT 8 VOLUNTEERS AND ABOUT 10 DOORDASH DRIVERS TAKE THE FOOD TO THE PARTICIPANTS, WHILE OTHER PARTICIPANTS PICK UP THE FOOD THEMSELVES. THE PARTICIPANTS WERE MOSTLY REFERRED TO HALA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, CONSISTING FIRST OF THE BLIND/LOW VISION CONTINGENT OF HUNGER ACTION LA PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AND THEN EXPANDING TO REFERRALS FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES INCLUDING MANY WHO USED GOOGLE TO LOCATE HALA RESOURCES. OTHER REFERRALS COME FROM KAISER PERMANENTE , UNITE US ONLINE PLATFORM, AND OTHER CLINICS, PLUS WORD OF MOUTH. THE PARTICIPANTS CONSISTED IN A TYPICAL WEEK OF 40 LARGE FAMILIES REQUIRING LARGER AMOUNTS OF UNCOOKED GROCERIES; 100 HOUSEHOLDS COMPRISED OF SINGLE INDIVIDUALS OR COUPLES, MOSTLY SENIORS WHO RECEIVED SMALLER ALLOTMENTS THAN THE FAMILIES; AND ABOUT A DOZEN PERSONS RECEIVING PREPARED MEALS INSTEAD OF GROCERIES. IN 2024 WE OPERATED THE PROGRAM FOR 48 WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR. ABOUT 66,270 POUNDS OF FOOD WAS DONATED (AN ESTIMATE BASED ON 141 BAGS OR MEAL BOXES PER WEEK X 10 LBS OF FOOD X 47 WEEKS.) THE VALUE OF THE FOOD IS AROUND $226,550 BASED ON AVERAGE OF ABOUT $1.97 PER LB. VOLUNTEERS LOGGED IN ABOUT 2,256 HOURS.
- $157,633 spent. CALFRESH OUTREACH (BAILA): HUNGER ACTION LA'S CALFRESH TEAM COMPLETED GRANT ACTIVITIES FROM A SUBCONTRACT TO THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FOOD BANKS IN JANUARY 2024 AND BEGAN ACTIVITIES ON ANOTHER SUBCONTRACT WITH THEM THE FOLLOWING MONTH. HALA ALSO RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY FOOD EQUITY GRANT, WHICH WAS USED TO HIRE TWO STAFF TO WORK IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY. THE ANTELOPE VALLEY HAD BEEN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED AS A GEOGRAPHIC AREA IN WHICH THERE NEEDED TO BE MORE OUTREACH TO POPULATIONS ESPECIALLY SENIORS, TO ENROLL IN CALFRESH. BERTA SUAREZ AND NATALIA SPARROW WERE HIRED. ACTIVITES INCLUDED: - OUTREACH TO OVER 3,000 PERSONS WITH ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO HELP ENROLL IN CALFRESH IF INTERESTED- OVER 2,300 SCREENINGS OF PERSONS FOR ELIGIBILITY - COMPLETED ENROLLMENTS FOR 171 HOUSEHOLDS- CREATION OF FLYERS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES INCLUDING TARGETED FLYERS FOR OUTREACH TO UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, PERSONS WITH FELONY BACKGROUNDS, SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLDS OF MIXED IMMIGRATION STATUS- REGULAR PRESENCE AT FARMERS MARKETS IN ADAMS/VERMONT, SAN PEDRO, AND NORWALK TO INFORM AND ASSIST CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR CALFRESH- INFORMATION SHARING WITH THE BAILA COALITION OF OVER 25 ORGANIZATIONS AND CROSS-REFERRAL TO AGENCIES THAT ASSIST WITH HEALTH CARE PROGRAM ENROLLMENT- DAILY MONITORING OF THE UNITE US WEB PORTAL FOR REFERRALS FROM OTHER AGENCIES.
- $42,237 spent. POLICY ADVOCACY: STATE POLICY: HALA WAS VERY INVOLVED IN STATE POLICY IN 2024 DUE TO THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION TO EXCLUDE CALIFORNIA NUTRITION INCENTIVES PROGRAM FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET. IN MARCH, HUNGER ACTION LA SENT ONE STAFF PERSON AND ONE ASSOCIATED FARMER TO SACRAMENTO TO EXPLAIN TO LEGISLATORS HOW NUTRITION INCENTIVES WORK AND HOW THEY BENEFIT BOTH FARMERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. LATER IN THE YEAR THE FUNDING WAS RESTORED. HALA PLAYED THE ROLE OF CO-CHAIR IN THE CALIFORNIA HUNGER ACTION COALITION AND COORDINATED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACTIVITIES FOR THE COALITION INCLUDING HUNGER ACTION DAY IN SACRAMENTO IN LATE APRIL. HALA BROUGHT 20 ADVOCATES INCLUDING LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ANTI-POVERTY ORGANIZATIONS TO SACRAMENTO FOR THAT EVENT. HALA ALSO PARTICIPATED REGULARLY IN CA4SSI, A COALITION DEDICATED TO INCREASING BENEFITS AND WELL-BEING FOR SENIOR AND DISABLED CALIFORNIANS WHO RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI.) COUNTY POLICY: HALA CONTINUED TO PARTICIPATE MONTHLY IN THE FOOD EQUITY ROUNDTABLE, AN INVITATION BASED COALITION RUN OUT OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WHICH SHARED IDEAS ON ENDING HUNGER AND PROMOTING FOOD SECURITY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AT LARGE.
- $46,038 spent. THE FLYING SQUAD IS AN AFFILIATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO DESIRE TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES: HELPS THE HOMELESS BY TALKING TO THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS AND LISTENING TO THEM AND THEN BY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IN REAL TIME, HOW TO HELP THEM SURVIVE LIFE IN THE STREET AND ULTIMATELY GET OFF THE STREET, INTO APARTMENTS OF THEIR OWN CHOOSING. THE FLYING SQUAD HANDS OUT CARDS THAT SAY LET'S TALK - SIMPLE AS THAT - AND THEN FOLLOWS UP IN PERSON RIGHT AWAY, ON A SAME-DAY BASIS, WHEN A RESPONDENT CALLS THEIR NUMBER ON GOOGLE VOICE OR EMAILS US TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION.
- PEOPLES GUIDE TO WELFARE, HEALTH AND OTHER SERVICES: HALA PUBLISHES THE PEOPLES GUIDE WHICH HAS BECOME THE STANDARD GUIDEBOOK OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. THE BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED LARGELY THROUGH LEGAL AID FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES OF LOS ANGELES. THEY ARE USUALLY PROVIDED FREE IN VARYING QUANTITIES, INCLUDING 2 FREE COPIES EACH FOR ANY LOW INCOME PERSON ON REQUEST.
- $3,911 spent. OTHER PROJECTS: PROYECTO JARDIN HAS CREATED AN URBAN GARDEN AND PROVIDES EDUCATION ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS, RECYCLING TO REDUCE THE USE OF MATERIALS THAT END UP IN THE WASTE STREAM, AND FOOD RECOVERY AND COMPOSTING. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE EDUCATION IN URBAN AGRO-ECOLOGY, RECLAIMING ANCESTRAL FOODWAYS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 2007.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.