Collective Roots

WE AIM TO CULTIVATE A HEALTHIER, STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED EAST PALO ALTO (EPA) COMMUNITY BY WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A ROBUST COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SYSTEM. EPAS DEEP HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE SHOWS CULTIVATION OF FOOD STRENGTHENS PEOPLE AND FORTIFIES COMMUNITIES. AS PART OF THE INDUSTRIOUS EPA COMMUNITY, WE SEEK TO FOSTER MORE COMMUNAL GROWING, SHARING, AND EATING OF FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE THROUGH OUR THREE PILLARS: GROWING (GARDENING), SHARING (GARDENING/COOKING/NUTRITION EDUCATION), AND EATING (HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS)

TO FOSTER A HEALTHIER, STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED EAST PALO ALTO COMMUNITY THROUGH A COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SYSTEM, WE FOCUS OUR PROGRAMMING ON THREE PILLARS - GROWING, SHARING, EATING. GROWING (GARDENING): BY INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN BUILDING A STRONG NETWORK OF COLLABORATION AND SHARING THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE GARDENING NETWORK (CGN - FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE BGN OR BACKYARD GARDENER NETWORK), WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY GARDENING EFFORTS AND EFFECT CHANGE FROM THE GROUND UP. WERE BUILDING A STRONG, SUSTAINABLE NETWORK OF LOCAL GROWERS WHO FEED THEMSELVES, THEIR NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS, AND HELP OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS LEARN TO DO THE SAME. WE PROVIDE NEEDED RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO GROW THEIR PRODUCE INEXPENSIVELY AND SUSTAINABLY IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER, AS WELL AS TO EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE AND FORGE RELATIONSHIPS. SHARING (GARDENING/COOKING/NUTRITION EDUCATION): THROUGH OUR MONTHLY WORKSHOPS, WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE VALUABLE INFORMATION BY INSTRUCTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS HOW TO GROW THEIR OWN PRODUCE, HOW TO COOK WHAT THEY GROW, AND WHY THEY SHOULD EAT WHAT THEY GROW BY HELPING THEM LEARN ABOUT NUTRITION. AT THESE WORKSHOPS, WE INSTRUCT, HOLD LIVELY DISCUSSIONS, ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AS WE SHARE BY LEARNING TO GARDEN, COOK, AND EAT TOGETHER. EATING (HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS): WITH OUR MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HOSTING THE EAST PALO ALTO COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET, WE INCREASE MUCH-NEEDED ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE THAT THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT OTHERWISE HAVE EASY ACCESS TO IN THE AREA. THE MARKET FEATURES LOCAL, ORGANIC, AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCE FROM NEARBY SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND EPA URBAN FARMERS. WE ALSO UTILIZE THE MARKET AS A WEEKLY COMMUNITY EVENT AS WE INVOLVE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES WHO ARE ABLE TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT RESOURCES THEY OFFER. THROUGH OUR LOW PRICES FROM SMALL LOCAL FAMILY FARMS AND ACCOMPANYING GENEROUS FRESH CHECKS AND MARKET MATCH MATCHING PROGRAMS, WE REMOVE THE ECONOMIC BARRIER BY HELPING LOW-INCOME EPA RESIDENTS BE ABLE TO AFFORD HEALTHY PRODUCE.