Newport Beach investment firm donates 1,216 pounds of food and goods to OC Food Bank

Employees of PIMCO, a Newport Beach investment firm, donated 1,216 pounds of food and goods Saturday at the 14th annual “Share the Harvest” drive-through event to help Orange County families in need.

PIMCO also donated enough in funds to pay for an additional 14,000 prepacked food boxes with canned goods, nonperishables, diapers, baby formula and toys to be distributed by the OC Food Bank.

The two major food banks in Orange County — Second Harvest Food Bank and the OC Food Bank — have struggled in the face of the pandemic‘s effects on the economy. Both reported earlier this year a need for donations to be able to help people who are struggling more than usual because of the impacts of COVID-19.

The OC Food Bank delivered an estimated 63 million pounds of food last year alone, compared to 23 million pounds in 2019. It works with PIMCO in addition to 225 other community partners to distribute food to those in need countywide.

Employees also responded to another crisis exacerbated by the pandemic — the need for diapers. In 2018, the National Diaper Bank Network, a nonprofit dedicated to providing diapers for children, reported in 2018 that one in three families struggle to provide clean diapers for their babies.

That became especially apparent for low-income families during the pandemic as federal aid doesn’t pay for diapers, and the state’s diaper assistance program is too limited to fill the need.

Nate Brown, director of the PIMCO Foundation, said that the company has held donation events for the OC Food Bank since 2008.

“The OC Food Bank is grateful for PIMCO’s long-term partnership and dedication to providing food, toys, diapers and more to our local community members, especially during this particular holiday season,” said Gregory Scott, chief executive officer and president of Community Action Partnership of Orange County in a statement.

“Despite challenges from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, PIMCO continues to find ways to give back in unique ways, like hosting a drive-through collection event for employees, where all donations will be provided to families in need,” Scott said. “The holiday season is bright thanks to our generous partners like PIMCO.”

Volunteers, from left, Josiah Andrus and his mother, Tina, Shannon Holloway and Chris Scheirer collected donations left by other employees during the 14th annual “Share the Harvest” donation event on Saturday at PIMCO’s Newport Beach office.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

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