Nourish to Flourish: STEAM, Youth, & Community

K-12 STEAM education

South LA Central LA East LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Food insecurity remains a critical and inequitable issue in Los Angeles County, especially for children in low-income households. After 2021, food insecurity among these households rose to 37% in 2022 and reached 44% by July 2023—matching early-pandemic levels. This crisis disproportionately affects communities of color and threatens children’s health as well as their academic success, and future opportunities.
Access to nutritious, affordable food remains limited in many neighborhoods, and conventional nutrition education often lacks cultural relevance or engagement. At the same time, many youth are excluded from STEAM learning opportunities, particularly those that connect food, science, and health to their lived experiences. These intersecting gaps reinforce long-term cycles of poor health, low academic achievement, and restricted career pathways. Addressing these challenges is urgent and essential to fostering healthier, more resilient communities across Los Angeles.

The grant will support Food Access LA’s Peak of Season (POS) Nutrition Education and Culinary Program video series—a bilingual, media-based initiative that uniquely addresses food insecurity by combining STEAM education, local agriculture, and culturally relevant storytelling. POS empowers youth and families in underserved LA communities through two engaging 4-part series, LA Urban Farms and CA Farm Tours, which spotlight diverse California farmers, chefs, and food leaders whose identities and practices reflect the region’s cultural landscape.
Each series deepens students’ understanding of the food system, the role of farmers’ markets and direct consumerism, and the importance of sustainable agriculture and community advocacy. It also introduces career pathways in the food system while building culinary and nutrition knowledge. To increase culinary self-efficacy, participating classes receive a sample of a featured fruit or vegetable—or a full ingredient box (culinary classes only)—to prepare the recipe from each video. This hands-on approach, paired with STEAM-based skills like sequencing and measurement, enhances student engagement and practical learning.
Designed for Title I schools, youth programs, and community centers, and delivered by professional educators, POS fosters lifelong healthy habits while strengthening local food systems. Its scalable model creates lasting community impact rooted in equity, food access, and opportunity.

Peak of Season (POS) will transform how youth in Los Angeles connect to food, science, and their communities. The program will reach over 1,000 middle and high school students through expanded partnerships with Title I schools, and youth-serving organizations in the one-year grant period. Students will gain nutrition knowledge, culinary confidence, and exposure to careers in the food and agriculture sectors through STEAM-focused culturally relevant video content and hands-on recipe kits.
In the long term, Food Access LA will expand POS into a bilingual, countywide digital library paired with teaching tools accessible to schools, after-school programs, and community sites. Adults and caregivers engaged through joint lessons will reinforce lasting change at home. One participant shared, “I’ve learned to make more nutritious foods and found out that it actually tastes good.” This work lays the foundation for a healthier, more equitable Los Angeles, rooted in culture, creativity, and food.