Project Angel Food's "Nourishing the Community" mural unveiled ahead of expansion project completion
The exterior white walls of Project Angel Food's Hollywood headquarters have been colorfully transformed, as the leaders of the nonprofit unveiled a three-story mural on Wednesday, topped off by artist Robert Vargas signing his art.
"With so much transformation happening on the inside, we decided we've gotta have something that matches it on the outside," Richard Ayoub, CEO of Project Angel Food, said.
The transformation he is referring to is a $51.5 million campus expansion, a necessary addition, he said, as the nonprofit aims to produce and deliver over 4.5 million meals to the community annually.
The project involves renovating the 922 Vine Street building and constructing a new facility at 960 Vine Street, forming The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation Campus.
The mural titled "Nourishing the Community" adorns the 922 Vine St. building that will house the organization's permanent kitchen, which is expected to be completed in December.
"I consider it a Christmas gift to Los Angeles," Ayoub said earlier.
Serving the community since 1989, Project Angel Food provides free, medically tailored food for people facing serious illnesses. Ayoub said so far, they have served over 20 million meals.
"No one deserves our respect more than Project Angel Food. What they do every single day is monumental," actor and activist Edward James Olmos said at Wednesday's celebration.
Vargas said his work was a collaborative effort as he learned about Project Angel Food, and he wanted to tell its story through the mural.
The inspiration for the mural is "the times we are living in," Vargas said. "The central anchoring image is of a woman, one who could be from this neighborhood, walking down the street. She is a matriarchal figure who says, 'I am protecting you.'"
With arms outstretched, the "goddess of maize" holds corn in one hand and a collection of produce in the other hand, with Project Angel Food workers depicted on both sides.