Mayor Agran Addresses Food & Nutrition Insecurity

Mayor Agran working alongside volunteers at Harvest Solutions Farm

Since taking office in December 2024, Mayor Larry Agran has worked to make Irvine safer, smarter, greener, healthier, and kinder.

The City’s achievements reflect that ambition. Irvine was recently named “America’s Safest Big City” for the 21st consecutive year and ranks among the nation’s top 10 smartest, greenest, and healthiest cities.

But for Mayor Agran, building a strong community also means bringing people together to tackle challenges that reach beyond city boundaries. Food insecurity is one of them. After being sworn in as Irvine’s Mayor, Agran joined the National Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger. Throughout the year, he heads into the fields at Harvest Solutions Farm, where he joins hundreds of local volunteers in harvesting tens of thousands of pounds of fresh produce.

“Food insecurity — hunger and malnutrition — is a real concern across America, and here in Orange County,” Agran said. His office hosts and promotes volunteer events at the farm. “This farm and Second Harvest Food Bank are showing us a way to address this problem. Our goal is to make sure that every household in Orange County is food secure.”

Harvest Solutions Farm spans more than 40 acres in Irvine. It’s a partnership among Second Harvest, Solutions for Urban Ag, and the University of California South Coast Research & Extension Center.

After harvest, the produce is taken to a warehouse on Marine Way near the Great Park. From there, it reaches Second Harvest Food Bank and other community partners, including the UCI Basic Needs Center. The center supports students through both an on-campus pantry and a mobile pantry.

If you would like to participate in one of the upcoming Harvest Solutions Farm volunteer events, click here.