AMiA's Farm Stand

Income inequality

South LA

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

In South Los Angeles, this region has been historically redlined, over policed and under resourced. This has had a major impact on this community and resources available within.
As native to the South Los Angeles region, I grew up shopping at grocery stores in other communities because there was a lack of access of nutrient dense food, a lack of variety and what was available, was generally of poor quality. Many of the grocery stores have the exact same produce, not much variety from store to store. There are generally very small sections of produce that are organic, and those products are over priced and unaffordable to low income families that live within the region.
The quality of the produce is also generally subpar. Within a day or so of purchase the produce has gone bad and is more than likely no longer edible.
Associated Mothers in Action wants to provide support to bring about the necessary change in the community for greater food access.

Associated Mothers in Action presents AMiA's Farm Stand.
AMiA's Farm Stand is a direct support to the community, bringing fresh nutrient dense food into the South Los Angeles region, where there is limited access.
Beginning May 31, 2025 AMiA's Farm Stand will begin operations as a weekly sidewalk vendor. We will purchase produce directly from local farmers (within six hours of Los Angeles County) and bring the produce directly to the community. We will have a variety of fresh nutrient dense fruits and vegetables.
We will also distribute recipe cards and information on nutrition facts for the fresh fruits and vegetables we sell to promote greater consumption and access to the fresh food.
We will ensure the affordability of the produce to the community, selling the produce at a reasonable rate with little to no profit margin. We will also work, within the year, to be able to accept EBT and WIC as a way to increase access to those we serve within the region.
Our goal is to ensure access and availablity. We will initially operate the Farm Stand weekly with the goal to operate daily to ensure the community has the access it needs.

In Los Angeles County, there are major disparities in regards to food access. In the more affluent West Los Angeles region there is roughly five to six thousands residents to each major grocery store. The South Los Angeles region, particularly Watts, Willowbrook and Compton has roughly fifteen thousand residents to one major grocery store.
AMiA's Farm Stand will allow as an increase to support greater access to this region and can act as a model to other regions within the County that have the same lack of access and need more support.