Save the Youth-Led Quartz Hill Food Pantry!

WHO AND WHAT:

The Youth-Led Quartz Hill Food Pantry has changed the lives of hundreds of our community members and grown our youth volunteers’s compassion and skillsets. Now, we call for the community’s support so that we, the young people of the Antelope Valley, can continue making a difference.

Our names are Mari Sara-Marie Nuesca and Tiffani Pe – Quartz Hill High’s Class of 2023 graduates and the pantry’s first executive directors. Alongside our friends, we have never felt so empowered to make change than when we first joined as high schoolers.

The pantry first opened in October 2020, at the height of the pandemic, when QHHS senior Asiah Giuntoni noticed the struggle faced by the Quartz Hill community in accessing food. Nearby distributions in Lancaster and Palmdale were difficult to reach for Quartz Hill residents, with transportation difficulties making it impossible for families to get the help they needed. In response, Asiah launched a 24/7 self-serve pantry—no strict qualifications, no barriers, and no restrictions for those facing food insecurity.

When we joined the pantry’s effort in June 2021, we began a service with our other volunteer friends. We started delivering groceries straight to the doorsteps of families. What began as a small service has since grown into a program serving over 120 families and 700 individuals monthly, providing essentials across the Antelope Valley. Not only do we serve Quartz Hill, but we champion accessibility and also recognize and reach out to Palmdale, Lancaster, Quartz Hill, Leona Valley, Elizabeth Lake, Lake Hughes, Littlerock, Pearblossom, Sun Village, and parts of Lake Los Angeles.

OUR MISSION:

Our mission has always centered on four core values: Youth Empowerment, Compassion, Togetherness, and Accessibility. These values shape who we are and how we serve, and they’ve personally inspired us in our higher education and careers.

At just 16 and 15, with most volunteer opportunities giving an age cutoff, we found our home at the Quartz Hill Food Pantry.

We are proud to say this pantry is entirely run by youth volunteers from local schools (elementary, middle, and high), colleges, and of all backgrounds and age levels. As a team, we manage all aspects of the pantry—restocking, sorting donations, organizing inventory, cleaning, coordinating with partner organizations, maintaining direct communication with families, and more. We find joy in helping those around us, giving, and learning from the people we assist.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT:

Now, in 2024, the Quartz Hill Food Pantry remains dedicated to addressing the ongoing needs of our beautiful, often-overlooked Antelope Valley community. Over the years, our youth-led pantry has faced many challenges—from volunteer shortages to supply issues—but we’ve always come together as a team to overcome them.

However, we’re facing our biggest challenge yet. We must relocate from our current distribution site at 42043 50th St W, Quartz Hill and move our pantry, hygiene cabinet, mini library, and all services to a new site by October 11th. We can’t continue serving through our self-service pantry or deliveries without a new location. This comes days before our four-year anniversary on October 14th. Without your support, we fear not even reaching that milestone.

With Thanksgiving approaching, the demand for food is soaring. Last November alone, we served 100 families, over 440 community members — perhaps one of them your friend, relative, coworker, or teacher — in a day. We don’t plan to stop. Our commitment to serving families across the Antelope Valley—including our home community of Quartz Hill, where we first began—has never been stronger, but we need your support.

OUR URGENT GOAL:

By October 11th, we need to raise at least $4,500 to cover:

The costs are high, but our desire to serve the community is greater.

By contributing, you’re not just helping to feed families—you’re supporting a youth-led initiative that fosters growth, leadership, and a deep sense of responsibility in the next generation.

Every donation pushes us one step closer to our $4,500 goal and ensures that the Youth-Led Quartz Hill Food Pantry can continue making a difference in our AV community.

JOIN US IN KEEPING THE YOUTH-LED QUARTZ HILL FOOD PANTRY ALIVE!

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You have the power to influence our pantry’s continuation. Please:

1. GIVE whatever you can! $10 * 10 supporters = $100!

2. SHARE on social media with #QHFoodPantry and inspire others to support.

3. EMAIL this page – gofundme.com/qhfoodpantry – to family, friends, + orgs.

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With Gratitude,

Mari Sara-Marie Nuesca, Tiffani Pe, & The Youth-Led Quartz Hill Food Pantry Team

Our Info:

Instagram: @quartzhill_foodpantry

LinkTree : linktr.ee/quartzhill_foodpantry