Kanye West donates to megachurch food drive that has served 350,000 free meals during pandemic

A megachurch in LA has served up some 350,000 free meals during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Dream Center in Echo Park, run by the Pentecostal megachurch Angelus Temple, launched its food drive last month as social distancing measures and business closures threatened to plunge many families into economic hardship and uncertainty. 

Since the food drive launched in mid-March, pastor Matthew Barnett told Fox News that a number of donors have stepped forward to support the effort, including rapper and Christian convert Kanye West, and fast food chain Chick-fil-A. 

Angelus Temple is one of the many churches across the US that have closed their doors since the pandemic started to take hold.

The megachurch is streaming its services online and focusing its efforts on running the food ministry to support families in need. 

In addition to giving out free meals at the Dream Center, it is making deliveries of essential goods to older locals and contributing food to local outreach sites, including one on Skid Row, an impoverished neighbourhood in downtown LA with many homeless. 

Barnett shared a message on Instagram this week thanking donors for making the huge outreach possible. 

"Next car pulling up 350,000 meal!!!!!" he captioned the post. 

"A milestone made because of you. 37 days ago we put a few bags of food on a table and just started. Yesterday 17,000 were fed. I love you!!! You're a part of this story. Every 50,000 we're going to celebrate a milestone."