As unemployment and hunger rates rise due to our current pandemic, giving to those less fortunate remains critical. Fortunately, myriad nonprofits help generous donors and volunteers pick up the slack.

Food insecurity increases

More than two million people face food insecurity in Los Angeles. School closures and other related issues make people even more vulnerable. Local nonprofits, such as the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, correlate poor diet with adverse COVID-19 outcomes. People need good nutrition to help them stay healthy. The Food Bank uses 97% of their revenues to feed people in need.

They formerly distributed food through their extensive network of food pantries; now they must dispense SO-pound boxes each week to families via their drive-through. They currently accept volunteers and donations, and encourage people to host virtual food drives. Learn more at lafoodbank.org/wefeedla.

The Mayor's Fund LA

Mayor Garcetti set up a fund, the Mayor's Fund For Los Angeles (MFLA), during the early days of the pandemic. More than 10,000 people have already donated to help first responders attain protective equipment, and provide food, shelter and services to those in need. As the crisis continues, they look for additional donations from both companies and individuals. Visit mayorsfundla.org/covidl9 to learn more.

Find your perfect match

Those hoping to volunteer or find volunteers, can utilize such online services as Volunteer Match and Catchafire to locate their perfect match.

Volunteer Match (volunteermatch.org) connects people to causes. Volunteers can find remote opportunities, especially helpful during the pandemic, such as social media coordinators, computer literacy instructors and pro bono lawyers. Companies also seek on-site help, ranging from farmer's market workers to dog walkers. The California company already assisted over 125,000 nonprofits recruit more than three million volunteers.

Catchafire (catchafire.org) connects volunteers and companies for a range of causes. They help nonprofits find pro bono graphic designers, copywriters, web content specialists and more. Their services save nonprofits thousands of dollars worth of creative and marketing services each year.

Volunteer safely

Organizations, such as the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and Midnight Mission in DTLA, need volunteers now more than ever to package and serve food as food insecurity and homelessness grows. They've set up stringent guidelines to ensure the safety of volunteers and others during the pandemic.

The Midnight Mission continues to help people with no place to go. They currently seek donations and a range of supplies, from disposable lunch bags and surgical masks to hand sanitizer and infrared no-touch thermometers. Visit lafoodbank.org and midnightmission.org/covid-19 for further information.

Choosing the purrfect charities

Our furry and not-so-furry animal friends look to us for help in a not-always-friendly world. Many nonprofits support animal welfare, such as scpcaLA, Pasadena Humane Society, Humane Society of the United States, PETA, and Ventura-based Paw Works. Adopt a cat or dog or donate to these worthy causes.

Protect yourself

During times like these, we are especially vulnerable to online scammers. If you’re unfamiliar with a charity, be sure to perform due diligence. Use a resource, such as Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org), or our Giving Guide, to learnmore about a nonprofit before donating.

With a little work and a lot of generosity, we can give to our hearts’ content during COVID-19 and beyond.

—Lori Berezin, Brand Publishing Writer

This supplement was produced by LA Times Brand Publishing. It did not involve the editorial or reporting staffs of the Los Angeles Times. Contact us with comments or questions at brandpublishing@latimes.com.