LIVEFallen Fruit from Rising Women: Empowering women through social enterprise and food justice
Picking local fruit that would otherwise go to waste, Crossroads residents and Claremont college students produce jams from seasonal fruit and use the profits to fund our larger food justice program. We would like to expand our program by establishing a co-op model and developing our pilot Social Entrepreneurs Academy into two concrete program for Crossroads graduates. The programs will help the women build business and financial literacy while offering economic opportunities for graduates.
In what areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
San Gabriel Valley
Claremont, CA and the immediate surrounding area
How do you plan to use these resources to make change?
Engage residents and stakeholders
Expand a pilot or a program
Mobilize for systems change
Advocate for change with future policymakers and leaders
How will your proposal improve the following LIVE metrics?
Access to healthy food
Number of households below the self-sufficiency index
Rates of homelessness
Percentage of LA communities that are resilient (Dream Metric)
Please explain how you will evaluate your work.
Our main outcome is whether a woman completes the six-month program (and does not return to prison). Through Crossroads, we also measure success by monitoring specific benchmarks which include: length of time in our program, completion of program, discharge from parole, obtainment of employment, length of time maintaining employment, and lifestyle changes (new friends, interests, sobriety). We also pay close attention to other milestones which include a woman re-uniting with her family or continuing her education.
With the establishment of the co-op and Social Entrepreneurs Academy, we will measure success by the number of Crossroads graduates who choose to opt-in to the co-op, participate in the academy, and obtain outside job opportunities. We will also measure our success by evaluating the continued profitability of Fallen Fruit from Rising Women and its ability to sustain lucrative employment opportunities for co-op members.
How can the LA2050 community and other stakeholders help your proposal succeed
Money (financial capital)
Volunteers/staff (human capital)
Publicity/awareness (social capital)
Infrastructure (building/space/vehicles, etc.)
Education/training
Technical infrastructure (computers, etc.)
Community outreach
Network/relationship support