Thrive Market Partners with CII to Feed South LA Families

Children’s Institute has partnered with e-commerce organic grocery distributor Thrive Market to provide free memberships to families we serve who are impacted by COVID-19. The partnership highlights one of many ways CII is ensuring access to essential items during the pandemic.

Thanks to an anonymous $100,000 gift, 500 families (or 1,500 individuals) will receive food and household supplies for a month. What’s more, these items are sent through the US Mail, so families don’t have to leave their houses to receive the benefit.

In addition, all 1,000 CII staff members will receive free memberships to Thrive Market.

CII’s President & CEO Martine Singer said working with Thrive Market offers an additional lifeline to families who would otherwise struggle to buy food because unemployment benefits haven’t kicked in, or families do not qualify for government relief.

“Many of the families CII supports were already struggling before this crisis and they are now facing increased risks due to extensive job losses and school closures,” Singer said. “This partnerships with Thrive Market is a crucial support to families reeling from COVID-19.”

According to a recent USC study, the number of people employed in Los Angeles County fell 16% in the last month, significantly higher than the national average. More than 1.3 million jobs were lost, disproportionately affecting African Americans and Latinos, especially those with just a high school education.

Nolan Green, Chief of Staff at Thrive Market, said they were eager to help when CII proposed a partnership. He said Thrive Market has created a system to prioritize orders from the most at-risk families to ensure they don’t go hungry.

“Organizations like CII are so crucial for mobilizing aid locally, so especially as a Los Angeles-based e-commerce company, we’re proud to do whatever we can to help,” Green said.

Justine Lawrence, Vice President of Head Start at CII, said it has been amazing to share the partnership with families in need of extra support.

“Our families have struggled with job losses and a lack of resources, which has added more stress to their already challenging lives,” she said. “The partnership with Thrive Market allows us to ease the burden on families figuring out how to feed themselves and their children.”

In addition to the partnership with Thrive Market, CII is distributing free meals to families at our early childhood centers, providing diapers and formula to parents, and offering virtual learning and mental health sessions. Since April 2, CII’s COVID-19 Relief Fund has raised more than $160,000 to help LA’s most impacted families.