b"Community member and volunteer, Joaquin Vargas helps at the weekly Puente food distribution. Miembro de la comunidad y voluntario, Joaqun Vargas ayuda en la distribucin semanal de alimentos de Puente.Resilience on a Homegrown LevelThe COVID-19 pandemic only increased theFarm, and R&R Fresh Farm, Puente number of households experiencing foodlaunched a Chicken Coop Pilot Project that insecurity; some for the first time andallows 15 South Coast families to care for others that had already been strugglingfive chickens and have fresh eggs every day.with it. Working together, the South Coast community came up with creative solutions to increase food security. The collaborationAn average of250households and action of dedicated volunteers,participated in Puente's weekly community members, farms, and nonprofitsfood distribution, a total of represent a new possibility for resilience on a homegrown level. 582unduplicated households.At the end of March, a dozen Puente staff members organized the first food distribu- The other key component has been the tion featuring staples from Second Harvestdedication of Puentes volunteers like of Silicon Valley and produce from R&RJoaquin Vargas. Vargas says he has enjoyed Fresh Farms. Almost immediately, otherthe work of unloading the food from bags local farms and ranches offered to provideand boxes and dividing and repacking food at cost or no charge. Soon Puente waseverything that gets loaded in peoples distributing a huge variety of fresh producecars. But more than anything, I enjoy from Pie Ranch, lettuce from Oku Farms,helping out and seeing other community and meat from TomKat Ranch.members helping out, too. Vargas enjoys Pie Ranch created a new distribution systemthe camaraderie, too. Working with Puente that kept farms solvent and provided foodis one of the only times he gets to connect to 800 children and adults per weekwith neighbors these days. The best part including the South Coast. In addition tohas been hearing other people react to the donating 2,500 pounds of meat, TomKatfood and when they thank him for his help. Ranch helped solve another big localIts gratifying. I dont have the financial problem: egg scarcity. Through ourmeans to donate, so I can help by partnership with TomKat Ranch, Root Downvolunteering, he adds.102"