PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING
SEPTEMBER 2025 AS HUNGER ACTION MONTH
WHEREAS, hunger and poverty are issues of vital concern in California, where more than one in five Californians face food insecurity on a daily basis and do not know where their next meal will come from; and
WHEREAS, everyone needs nutritious food to thrive, and people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families—yet over 359,000 individuals, including over 86,000 children, here in Orange County are food insecure; and
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Beach is committed to taking steps to combat hunger in every part of our community and to provide additional resources that those in Laguna Beach need; and
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Beach is committed to working with the Orange County Hunger Alliance in educating people about the role and importance of food banks and food care in addressing hunger, and raising awareness of the need to devote more resources and attention to hunger issues; and
WHEREAS, in the first half of 2025, Orange County Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank collectively recorded an average of 810,996 individual food distribution visits per month from our community members facing food insecurity; and have collectively distributed 36,709,298 pounds of food through its partner network of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers, schools, colleges, universities, houses of worship, and other community organizations; and WHEREAS, Abound Food Care helps to facilitate the recovery of over 25 million pounds of excess edible food in Orange county each year, reducing food waste and diverting that food to those who need it; and
WHEREAS, the month of September has been designated “Hunger Action Month” in order to bring attention to food insecurity in our communities and to enlist the public in the movement to end hunger by taking action – including volunteering, donating, and advocating – to ensure every community, and everybody in it, has the food they need to thrive; and WHEREAS, food banks and other organizations across the country, including the members of the Orange County Hunger Alliance, will host events throughout the month of September to bring awareness and help end food insecurity in our local community .
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Alex Rounaghi, as Mayor of the City of Laguna Beach, hereby declare September 2025 as Hunger Action Month in Laguna Beach. I not only wish to acknowledge the commendable efforts of the Orange County Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank and the Laguna Beach Food Pantry in addressing food insecurity, but also strongly encourage the residents of Laguna Beach to take proactive steps towards eradicating hunger.
DATED: August 12, 2025
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Alex Rounaghi, Mayor