INTEGRATIVE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

In 2023, the ECOFARM Initiative continued work supporting community composting, green space development, farming & gardening, tree planting, community engagement, infrastructure development, & educational opportunities for composters, farmers, and community members across the state, Inland Empire, and Pomona Valley regions. In collaboration with CalRecycle (Community Composting for Green Spaces--round 1 & 2), the CA Strategic Growth Council (Transformative Climate Communities Ontario Project), and many local partners, we supported 30+ green spaces, with 2500+ hours of project coordination & on-the-ground support, and helped to divert and compost over 750,000 pounds of organics in one year! We celebrate the partnership of over 50+ community organizations and 1000s of hours of volunteer engagement in service of improving both environmental and community health. Together we achieved a GHG reduction of 213 MTCO2E--which has an equivalent environmental impact as the carbon sequestered by 3450+ seedlings over their first 10 years of life or the carbon sequestered by 255 acres of US forest, in addition to supporting many other positive impacts to soil, air, water, green space, and biodiversity as well as supporting healthy food access, community engagement, public service, safe & beautiful gathering spaces, community education, neighborhood beautification, social support networks & safety nets, & human well-being.

The Pomona Community Farmer Alliance (PCFA) offered 50 weeks of community programming through the Pomona community market which is a collaborative between community volunteers and local and regional farmers oriented towards bringing higher quality foods into low-income communities through intentionality and relationships (as opposed to conventional market mechanisms, which we have observed do not work to bring high quality food into underserved communities). We supported 10+ local and regional farmers to distribute their organic and chemical free fresh foods directly to low income and underserved community members in Pomona. As a result of our efforts we have been able to create access at our local farmers market to a greater diversity and higher quality of food, grown using regenerative & ecological methods, including pasture raised meats, chemical free mushrooms, heirloom beans & grains, organic almonds, olives/oils, fruits, and seasonal hyper-locally grown vegetables, with these items selling 30-80% of their typical retail costs. We also supported a food access booth distributing produce at no cost as well as supported weekly food security bag deliveries to vulnerable community members, such as those with disabilities and significant health challenges, elderly individuals & limited support networks. In 2023, our food access programming continued to reach over 1000 people with approximately 250 individuals receiving food each week through the PCFA's community market programming.