Food Now Pantry in Desert Hot Springs Provides More Than Groceries, Builds Community for Hundreds in Need

Every Wednesday and Thursday morning, hundreds of vehicles line up outside Food Now in Desert Hot Springs as residents wait for a box of free groceries. But behind every car is a different story.

For weeks, NBC Palm Springs has highlighted how Food Now helps fight hunger across the Coachella Valley. Now, the focus turns to the people who rely on the organization and the personal journeys that bring them through the doors.

Kevin Leslie has been visiting Food Now every week for the past year while caring for his family. He says the groceries have helped him provide meals while his wife has been hospitalized and he cares for their 13-year-old daughter.

"I cook dinner, breakfast, and lunch," Leslie said. "The food helps a lot."

For Leslie, Food Now is about more than what is placed in his vehicle. He says the weekly visits have created connections with other people waiting in line and built a network of neighbors supporting each other.

That same sense of community is what keeps bringing back senior citizen Russell Force. Living on a fixed income, Force says the assistance helps ease the pressure of rising expenses.

"The quality of the food is great, and it gets you over the hump," Force said.

He says the staff at Food Now have become like family and that the weekly visit has become a highlight of his week.

For Gil Solis, the need for help came unexpectedly after losing his business. He now receives groceries each week and says the support has helped him get through difficult times.

Solis says the food makes a difference, but the people at Food Now have given him something more — a renewed sense of purpose. He now helps others by assisting fellow clients with their groceries.

Food Now serves more than 600 people each week, with clients coming from all different backgrounds. Organizers say hunger does not always look the way people expect, and anyone can experience a time when they need support.

Food Now distributes groceries every Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at its main warehouse in Desert Hot Springs.

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