Original Green Community Food Plan

Original Green's wholly integrated local food system allows low-income residents to grow, keep and distribute fresh produce at our urban farming sites.

The Problem

Low-income, urban communities are frequently located in food deserts (areas with little access to fresh, healthy food). They also suffer greater incidences of various preventable diseases. A diet poor in fruits and vegetables increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity and illnesses that disproportionately affect people of color: many of whom live in these communities. Better food choices through nutritional education and increased access can reduce underlying causes of these diseases. Additionally, there are few public, urban spaces promoting healthier food choices. Creating these spaces can provide access to more food while simultaneously bringing social and economic benefits. The public space we are developing, through our urban farming sites, supports social interaction, small-scale produce sales and/or community cooking and nutrition education.

Our Solution

In collaboration with a Master Gardener, we provided nearly 3000 plants, 500 packs of seeds, various bags of organic amendments and fertilizers and much more to low-income residents in South Los Angeles -- for free. In particular, children from the Watts recreation center have an opportunity to plant and monitor the growth of vegetable seedlings and then harvest and eat them at a local public housing development. Children and their families are also being introduced to the nutritional benefits of fresh produce. Each of these efforts has increased resident interest in their nearby garden and encouraged social interaction. Now, we’ve acquired two nearby farming sites at low-income housing developments where we will work with residents to build raised beds, plant them and maintain them until harvest and increase neighborhood social interaction at communal meals and gatherings. Our immediate needs are the installation of 12 raised beds at each site and creation of spaces for social interaction. The key, immediate results sought are: 75% of on-site residents learning how to maintain food production sites; growing enough produce for local consumption and sale; efficient distribution of local produce within 5 mile radius of sites; learning nutritional value and how to cook the produce grown; providing local jobs in both the agricultural and nutritional area; instituting a cooperative food work and sharing component (production, nutrition, cooking); and recurring communal gathering to share produce and promote healthy food choices. Through this OriginalGreen community food system project we value sharing and participation and their roles in sustaining a community. We’re creating a food system in a low-income community by engaging residents in delivery of healthier foods to their neighbors. We’re transforming food deserts into food oases by increasing engagement of residents in all aspects of food production and delivery.

Our Story & Why You Should Support Us

What is the currency of community? And how is it used to achieve food justice? This is what we work to answer on a daily basis. At home&community, inc, we started the OriginalGreen project recognizing that our clients have always done some recycling and been eco-conscious – out of necessity. But more work was needed to institute the sustainable practice that would bring more long-term improvements to their health. We’ve found that sustainable practice is supported through community connections where neighbors can talk about ways to grow and share food, or introduce eco-friendly changes in their homes, or the practical ways they reduce household costs. Already, we’ve held communal dinners where people have enjoyed getting “face time” with each other to discuss these issues. We’re ready to work with residents at our urban farms where they will keep a portion of the produce while preparing the balance for distribution and sale in the community. We’ll also help residents establish an on-site market program and community kitchen. The project goal is to improve our existing growing sites; develop and establish a nutrition curriculum; increase access to fresh produce; and gather people together in a series to promote various local food projects. We believe we can increase the currency of community. We can increase meaningful participation in community improvement. We can provide low-income residents in South Los Angeles with resources and skills to improve their health and the health of their neighborhoods. When residents have ownership over feeding the community, promoting healthy lifestyle changes, and sharing and determining their own currency of community, the effort becomes self-sustaining.

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