Join the Long Beach Grows™ real food security coalition to help fight hunger in Long Beach

Long Beach Grows™ is a grassroots organization that promotes food security through urban agriculture. The current food system in Long Beach, particularly as it pertains to local food and real food, really caters to the wealthy of our residents. Long Beach Grows plans to change this.

We are in the midst of one of the worst recessions ever. A recent report prepared by LAANE for the Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community indicates that one in five Long Beach residents are living in economic hardship and over 50% of our children are living in poverty. HealthyCity.org, an authoritative source of demographic data, indicates that 62.3% - 66.19% of LA county residents cannot afford enough food to eat. The remaining 33.81% - 37.7% remain hungry.

Long Beach Grows recently established the LBGROWS™ Real Food Security Coalition to advocate for a just and equitable food system in Long Beach, and to empower the low income Long Beach communities to establish their own food security, independence and freedom from hunger. The Coalition will work to identify Long Beach’s populations at greatest risk of food insecurity, the reasons for this, the strengths and weaknesses in our food system, and long term solutions to create a future of food security for all. While the main focus of the Coalition is community organizing, outreach may influence positive change on regional, state and national policy and will include reporting and documenting on food issues.

The Coalition will attempt to connect all sectors of the community and local food system.   All Long Beach residents are encouraged to join. Low-income residents who need access to better food are especially welcome. So whoever you are, whether you are rich or poor, an adult or youth, an individual with only personal interests or a community organizer leading a group with a mission, your input and help is wanted. Local growers, environmentalists, non-profit food distributors, grocers, restauranteurs, dieticians,  artisanal food crafters, city employees, big consumers such as Long Beach Unified School District or Long Beach Memorial, all are invited.

The Coalition will assemble at least once a month and is currently scheduled to meet the first Thursday of each month from 6 - 8 PM at the Catalyst space at 430 East 1st Street in the arts district of downtown Long Beach. Mark your calendars. As the Coalition grows, so will the venue.

Spread the word. Join the Coalition today.

Enjoy this? Please share the link and comment below, even if only to say "Hi!"
 
You might also be interested in Donna’s other work as Long Beach Urban Agriculture Examiner, Long Beach Restaurant Examiner, National Food Policy Examiner, National Science News Examiner, and founder and director of Long Beach Grows™.

Copyright © 2011 Donna Marykwas; All rights reserved.

What is food security?

Community Food Security Coalition

Our government* defines food security as "affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times."

For some people, food security means to not have to worry about where their family's next meal is coming from, whatever that meal might be and for whatever reason, including poverty, homelessness, or absence of food even if money is no object.

Some communities are considered food deserts because they lack access to grocery stores. A food desert could be a small town in a remote rural location, or it could be a neighborhood within a big city.

However, food security is not merely freedom from hunger. One's diet might fill the belly but still be nutritionally inferior and actually cause harm.

Even access to a full service grocery store does not ensure food security, if one takes into account whether the food is stripped of its nutritional value by over-processing, whether it contains antibiotics, hormones, drug-resistant bacteria, or other contaminants that don't belong in our food. Food security requires that our food be safe.

Long term food security on a global and even local scale requires that we preserve the natural resources necessary to sustain our food supply.

With food insecurity comes serious health problems and other socioeconomic issues.

Food insecurity has been responsible for the demise of entire civilizations.

Without food, we die.

Earth is fast approaching its capacity to feed a global population expected to reach 9 billion people in just under 40 more years.

Thus, food security is the most important social issue of the 21st century.

I will address these and other issues relevant to the loaded term "food security." Stay tuned for more details to come.

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture


More information

Community Food Security Coalition
Food Deserts
USDA Food Desert Locator
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Enjoy this? Please share it and comment below even if only to say "Hi!"

You might also be interested in Donna’s other work as National Food Policy Examiner, National Science News Examiner, Long Beach Urban Agriculture Examiner and founder and executive director of Long Beach Grows.

Copyright © 2011 Donna Marykwas; All rights reserved.