Supporting Sustainable Programs That Widen Food Access, Advance Food Sovereignty, and Address Food Apartheid
As the world observes Earth Day on April 22, LISC LA lauds businesses that make an effort to support food access and food sovereignty in Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, between April and December 2020, 34 percent of all households in LA County faced food insecurity across all socioeconomic levels at some point. Closures in several industries resulted in job losses, resulting in significant food insecurity. Latinos had the highest frequency of food insecurity (40%), followed by African Americans (39%), Asians (28%), and Whites (21%).
From April to July 2020, the majority of adults experiencing food insecurity were female (57 percent), 18-40 years old (59 percent), Latino (55 percent), and low-income (82 percent) – defined as living at less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. In that same period, 50.3 percent of adults who experienced food insecurity had children in their households, and 35.6 percent were single parents. People who were food insecure (11.6 percent) were nearly twice as likely to have been infected with COVID-19 as those who were food secure (6.4 percent).
As of July 2020, between 14.7 percent and 26.7 percent of Los Angeles County households were anticipated to be eligible for CalFresh but were not enrolled.
LISC partnered with MetLife Foundation in 2021 to provide grants to small businesses, two of which were Moonwater Farm and Quentissential Gardens that are making healthy food more accessible to residents of South LA.
Moonwater Farm is a micro-farm in LA County that teaches urban agriculture, sustainability, and wellness in South Los Angeles. This farm disseminates information on growing food, handling livestock, and making art that deepens people’s connections to nature. They also host field trips and events. Their main aim is to change the narrative through education, dialogue, and practice by providing a farm space for hands-on training that can inform future employment or study in the fields of sustainability, agriculture or aquaponics.
Moonwater Farm has hosted a myriad of exciting events such as cowboy training, a pop-up dinner tasting series, and yoga retreats. Their workshops cover homesteading, soap making, food fermentation, and youth-led cooking skills. Through a variety of programming, the Farm engages youth and residents of Los Angeles. “Our outdoor education programming provides experiential learning for community members who often don't have access. We offer outdoor space and refuge for community members that use regenerative practice for wellness, wealth building, and restoration of the earth’s ecosystems. Our space offers space for healing, learning, and exploring.”
Quentissential Gardens is the brainchild of horticulturist, Quentin Turner. It is a family-owned garden business that specializes in the growth, cultivating, and maintaining of organic edible gardens. Their main aim is to provide customers with quality fresh organic produce, while enhancing and beautifying their space. Some of the services offered are: consultation, garden maintenance, garden installation and teaching.
“COVID-19 has impacted every person and business differently. For me, it has caused me to become more active as a gardener and community builder. For my business, it has caused us to reconfigure the services we offer to ensure that the garden needs of the community are provided for. With the uncertainties of going to the local grocer, many people are becoming more interested in growing fruits and vegetables in their own spaces. We are grateful to be able to service the organic gardens throughout the community,” said Quentin back in 2021.
Quintessential Gardens customizes gardens for clients in line with their dietary desires. They provide weekly and monthly organic packages. Additionally, they plan, design, and install gardens. If you want to learn how to maintain your organic edible garden, Quentissential Gardens offers in-person and virtual teaching sessions. In those sessions, you will learn tips, tools, and techniques that will help you grow and maintain your gardens.
