Program Information Long Beach Community Table (LBCT) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, cooperative (meaning that all volunteers and recipients share in the effort and the benefits), that nourish those who are struggling and provides resources that allow us all to mutually sustain each other, our families, and our neighbors. In the spirit of community, many of our volunteers are also recipients, and vice versa…this is what makes us a true mutual aid organization and not a charity. We do however, have an executive board that acts in emergency situations.
Our Mission
We foster sustainable community to support the well-being, empowerment, and self-determination of food- and housing-insecure residents in the greater Long Beach area with dignity and compassion.
Our Vision
We envision LBCT as the platform of a cooperative, mutual-aid society where everyone involved gives, receives, and takes care of each other to first meet basic needs, then to collectively create greater self-sufficiency for individuals, families, and communities.
What We Do
Long Beach Community Table's primary programs:
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Source and distribute organic produce, nutritious food, and basic essentials;
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Build and cultivate urban vegetable gardens around the city; and
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Provide education and resources to enable self-sufficiency.
Each week, our dedicated volunteer team distributes 40,000+ lbs. of groceries and fresh produce, as well as clothing and toiletries, to more than 6,000 homeless individuals, low-income families, students, seniors, veterans, and homebound people with disabilities or medical conditions, on a free or nominal donation basis. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have expanded our resources to meet the significantly increased needs of struggling area residents.
LBCT is one spoke of an interconnected web of agencies addressing food insecurity in the Long Beach/Los Angeles region. In order to achieve our mission, we collaborate with numerous local organizations, farmers’ markets, urban gardens, and businesses who contribute generous food, hygiene, financial, and other in-kind donations.
In addition, our team builds, plants, maintains, and harvests numerous urban gardens on private property throughout the City that provide us with fresh, organically grown produce for our programs, as well as for the hosts. We hold various workshops at our Long Beach facility to promote self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on society’s existing structure.