Botanical Community Development Initiatives

OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE LIVES BY CONNECTING PLANTS, PEOPLE, AND COMMUNITY. WE SEEK TO HELP PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS NURTURE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO PLANTS IN A VARIETY WAYS, THEREBY STRENGTHENING THEM AS INDIVIDUALS, WHICH IN TURN STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES. THROUGH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WE HAVE SEEN THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER THAT THESE CONNECTIONS CAN MAKE, AS WELL AS THE FUNDAMENTAL ROLE THAT PLANTS PLAY IN ALL COMMUNITIES.

THE FARM TO FAMILY PROGRAM WAS STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020 TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HUNGER IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED IN OCEANSIDE, CA AND TO SUPPORT SMALL FARMERS WHO SUFFERED ECONOMIC LOSSES DURING THIS TIME. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO LOCAL, NUTRIENT DENSE, PESTICIDE-FREE FOOD. FROM MARCH 2020 THROUGH DECEMBER 2021 WE AGGREGATED LOCAL PRODUCE AND GREW PRODUCE ON OUR OWN FARM AND DISTRIBUTED IT TO HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN OCEANSIDE WHERE WE ARE BASED WEEKLY THROUGH DISTRIBUTIONS AT COMMUNITY CENTERS AND FREE FARM STANDS AT LOCAL PARKS. WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 20,000 BOXES THAT PROVIDED A WEEK'S WORTH OF PRODUCE TO FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME. WE HAVE SINCE SHIFTED OUR PROGRAM TO HELP REDUCE BARRIERS TO EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET MORE PEOPLE ENROLLED IN EBT AND PROVIDING HALF OFF PRODUCE BOXES TO FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES. WE BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCAL, PESTICIDE-FREE PRODUCE.

THE GREENING SPACES PROGRAM SEEKS TO CREATE COMMUNITY-RELEVANT GREEN SPACES THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN GENERALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS. OUR URBAN FARM, COMMUNITY ROOTS FARM, GROWS FOOD ETHICALLY AND SUSTAINABLY FOR OCEANSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS AND STATE-FUNDED PRESCHOOLS AND PROVIDES A SAFE, GREEN SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGH FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, YOUTH PROGRAMMING, INTERGENERATIONAL WORKSHOPS, AND A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE ARE BASED, WE SEEK TO HELP NURTURE, HEAL, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THOSE AROUND US. AS A COMMUNITY-RUN FARM, WE INVITE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND BACKGROUNDS TO BE INVOLVED AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GAIN PRACTICAL SKILLS IN SMALL FARM MANAGEMENT. WE ALSO PRIORTIZE COMMUNITY SKILL SHARING THAT UPLIFTS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AS IT RELATES TO FOOD AND LAND. WE ASSIST SCHOOL GARDENS AND FOOD JUSTICE PROJECTS IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION BY PROVIDING FREE SEEDLINGS FOR THEIR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

FREE FARM STAND DISTRIBUTIONS PROGRAM WAS STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020 TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HUNGER IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED IN OCEANSIDE, CA AND TO SUPPORT SMALL FARMERS WHO SUFFERED ECONOMIC LOSSES DURING THIS TIME. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO LOCAL, NUTRIENT DENSE, PESTICIDE-FREE FOOD. FROM MARCH 2020 THROUGH DECEMBER 2021 WE AGGREGATED LOCAL PRODUCE AND GREW PRODUCE ON OUR OWN FARM AND DISTRIBUTED IT TO HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN OCEANSIDE WHERE WE ARE BASED WEEKLY THROUGH DISTRIBUTIONS AT COMMUNITY CENTERS AND FREE FARM STANDS AT LOCAL PARKS. WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 20,000 BOXES THAT PROVIDED A WEEK'S WORTH OF PRODUCE TO FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME. WE HAVE SINCE SHIFTED OUR PROGRAM TO HELP REDUCE BARRIERS TO EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET MORE PEOPLE ENROLLED IN EBT AND PROVIDING HALF OFF PRODUCE BOXES TO FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES. WE BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCAL, PESTICIDE-FREE PRODUCE.

COMMUNITY ROOTS FARM PROGRAM SEEKS TO CREATE COMMUNITY-RELEVANT GREEN SPACES THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN GENERALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS. OUR URBAN FARM, COMMUNITY ROOTS FARM, GROWS FOOD ETHICALLY AND SUSTAINABLY FOR OCEANSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS AND STATE-FUNDED PRESCHOOLS AND PROVIDES A SAFE, GREEN SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGH FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, YOUTH PROGRAMMING, INTERGENERATIONAL WORKSHOPS, AND A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE ARE BASED, WE SEEK TO HELP NURTURE, HEAL, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THOSE AROUND US. AS A COMMUNITY-RUN FARM, WE INVITE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND BACKGROUNDS TO BE INVOLVED AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GAIN PRACTICAL SKILLS IN SMALL FARM MANAGEMENT. WE ALSO PRIORTIZE COMMUNITY SKILL SHARING THAT UPLIFTS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AS IT RELATES TO FOOD AND LAND. WE ASSIST SCHOOL GARDENS AND FOOD JUSTICE PROJECTS IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION BY PROVIDING FREE SEEDLINGS FOR THEIR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.