Sen. Ben Allen joined Project Angel Food CEO Richard Ayoub and staff to count down to the 17 millionth meal on Friday, Aug. 18. The senator also gave remarks congratulating the organization for reaching another million meal marker.

Under a 17 million meals banner and a cake in tow, the senator counted down from 16,990,000 meals and finished at the new million mark. After, he also presented Project Angel Food with a $3 million check from the State of California for Project Angel Food’s new Rise to the Challenge: The Campaign to Expand Project Angel Food. Following the 17 millionth meal, cake was cut and lunch from Calif Chicken Cafe was provided.

Project Angel Food’s mission is to improve health outcomes and end food insecurity for critically ill men, women and children in Los Angeles by preparing and delivering medically tailored meals with compassion and hope. Project Angel Food was founded in 1989 and feeds 2,500 seriously ill people each day — preparing and delivering more than 1.5 million meals per year.