Rosario Cruz, a mother of five young children, visits the World Harvest Food Bank twice a month. This food bank in Los Angeles allows you to take home a full shopping cart of vegetables, fruits, chicken, and meat for $50.

A real bargain considering the high prices of food. Trump focused his presidential campaign on promising to lower grocery prices, and while the cost of eggs has decreased recently, the prices of other food items have skyrocketed. "The situation is very difficult. My husband and I can barely afford rent and a little food. So coming to this food bank helps us a lot," says Rosario. She explains that what might cost her $200 at any supermarket is half the price at the World Harvest Food Bank. Open since 2007, the World Harvest Food Bank, a non-profit organization, was founded by community leader and entrepreneur Glen Curado in 2007. What's unique about this food bank is that the community can take a shopping cart full of groceries for only $50; and those who don't have money can volunteer for four hours. Take home your groceries.

That's the case for Nicole Martinez, who volunteered at World Harvest. In exchange for four hours of work arranging vegetables on the shelves, she takes home a cart full of food that she selects herself.

“It's worth it because everything is so expensive. This cart would easily have cost me $200 elsewhere,” she says.

But she also points out that the vegetables offered by World Harvest are fresh.

“I feel like I'm eating very healthily with these foods they give me, and it also feels great to donate your time, four hours, in exchange for food. I think I worked to earn what I put in my mouth and it was worth it,” she says.

The World Harvest Food Bank is located at 3100 Venice Street in Los Angeles, and is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pmMargarita also decided to volunteer two years ago, and on one of her days off, she dedicates a morning to helping the food bank. "I eat once a week, and I take food for myself and my brother. We both live together. It really helps me a lot these days when everything is so expensive." She explains that in addition to fruits and vegetables,They give her meat and chicken, enough to eat for a week. “I practically don't buy anything extra because I take what I need from here; and I see that more and more people are coming to the food bank.” Another volunteer, who didn't feel comfortable giving her name and who earns a living cleaning, goes once a week to work four hours at the food bank, which allows her five family members to be fed for at least seven days. “This food is a good savings for us,” she says, continuing to arrange the vegetables in the trays.

Carlos Luna, a Guatemalan man visiting the World Harvest food bank for the first time, was convinced to take his first shopping cart for $50 after touring the place.

“I found out about this food bank online while looking at my phone, and I decided to eat. I think this food is going to help me a lot because buying the same things elsewhere would be more expensive,” she says Carlos, who works as a bagger.

The idea to establish the World Harvest Food Bank came to Glen after he volunteered at a local food bank in 2006.

Observing the community's need, he opened his own food bank, for which he contacted a real estate agent friend who helped him find the ideal location in Los Angeles. The first location was in the impoverished area of ??Pico-Union, but in 2014 when the facilities exceeded their capacity, they moved to their current location on Venice Street, which, also due to the growing need for food, is now becoming too small.

“This started when this new administration came in. Suddenly, all the prices skyrocketed, they doubled, they tripled. And then ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) came with their raids, people started staying home, and the demand for food went up at our food bank,” says Glen.

“A lot more people are coming now, simply because supermarkets are so expensive, and here, with a $50 donation, you're going to get more than you can buy out there. Just the chicken costs between $8 and $11. Glen says that those who come to the food bank are Angelenos of all races: Hispanic, African American, white, and Asian. “Everyone has been affected by the high prices,” he says. He adds that there was a lot of need during the 2008-2009 recession, but nothing like what's happening now. “This is something completely different.” Along with the high prices, there are people living in fear of unemployment, cuts in social assistance, and a whole host of things like that.”

She emphasizes that if someone doesn't have the $50 to take the food cart,There's no problem; they just need to donate four hours of their time at the food bank, working by filling the shelves with supplies and helping, for example, to choose the good bananas and discard the spoiled ones.

“That way they can take their food cart for free.”

Glen points out that almost all the vegetables are certified organic.

“I have Hawaiian ancestry, and there's a saying that goes, when you give, give all or nothing; otherwise, it's like a disgrace. That's why we try to give the best quality food we distribute.”

The food bank operates with the work of volunteers, two full-time employees, and four part-time workers.