https://reasonstobecheerful.world/community-wealth-food-san-diego/
"Every Wednesday morning, a refrigerated solar-powered truck arrives at the Mt.
Hope Community Garden in Southeast San Diego. The driver hops out and lifts an
awning on the side of the truck, revealing shelves that will soon be filled
with leafy greens, beets, eggs, avocados, honey and even specialty fruits like
kumquats.
Since 2022, this truck, the People’s Produce Mobile Farmers Market, has sold
affordable fresh fruits and vegetables to local residents, helping many stretch
their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. With its
rotating weekday schedule of stops, the truck can serve a wide swath of
neighborhoods in need.
“The first time I entered Mt. Hope community garden was due to food
insecurity,” says resident Lucia Davis, who heard about it from a family
member. Now she shops at the produce truck weekly. She has also joined a
neighborhood growers’ network that donates food raised in backyards to the
truck and to the Golden Groceries program, a CSA subscription. The community
garden, produce truck, grower’s collective and CSA all stem from the same
place: a multifaceted nonprofit called Project New Village.
“In the neighborhoods of southeastern San Diego, there are many fast-food and
junk-food establishments, but very few healthy food outlets,” says Project New
Village co-founder Diane Moss.
The organization, funded mainly through private donations, has been working to
reshape the local foodscape since launching its community garden in 2011 on
land initially leased from the city. In its mission to improve the health and
well-being of the residents of Southeast San Diego, Project New Village has
evolved into a full-fledged food justice organization. It’s also part of an
emerging model called Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD), which uses
food as an engine to build community wealth.
Now, plans are underway to expand this project with a $10 million food hub
called The Village, which would provide the kind of permanent food and wellness
infrastructure the neighborhood has never had. The two-story development will
integrate the existing community garden and also include a fresh‑food
marketplace, prepared‑food vendor stalls, a commercial kitchen, and a community
gathering space. Project New Village hopes to start construction later this
year and open the food hub in 2027.
“[This is] real community ownership of a physical space and economic resource
that contributes to long‑term wealth and resilience at the neighborhood level,”
Moss says."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
