Food & Climate Justice
Overview
We all have the right to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods. Growing, cooking, and eating meals together is part of what unites us as people across generations and community.
Hunger and poor access to healthy food are realities for people of low income in Marin, despite the county’s general affluence. In fact 4.6% of county residents are unable to find fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood. Food insecurity over the last year among the low-income families and communities of color we serve within the county has intensified with 1 in 5 families (1 in 3 seniors) struggling to put food on the table. At a time when so many have so much and others have so little or nothing at all, Community Action Marin wants to raise awareness about food justice and what we can do together to make healthy food, produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, accessible to everyone in our community.
In our efforts to address and eliminate food insecurity, we are not only growing food at our Production Farms, but using the fruit and vegetables produced to create meals in our Central Kitchen, providing them to children in our programs and to seniors in the Marin community. We are also working with our families and partnering across the county to strengthen healthy food access, build climate resilience, and achieve food and climate justice for all.
Programs
Community Action Marin is working hard to address and eliminate food insecurity. We are growing food and partnering across the county to strengthen healthy food access and justice for all. The agency’s Whole Family Approach works to ensure that needs are met and outcomes at the individual, agency, and community levels are achieved to strengthen well-being.
Central Kitchen
The Central Kitchen, a 2,000 square foot commercial kitchen, is one of only a few in Marin County and is located in the heart of San Rafael. When not in use for Community Action Marin programs, we help to support local food entrepreneurs and non-profits that need a commercial kitchen by renting space.
At this time, Community Action Marin’s kitchen is operating at full capacity and we are not accepting new tenants.
Child & Adult Healthy Meals
Supported by funders, parents, partners, and community, we are committed to healthy eating and active living for all of us.
Our programs provide meals to seniors, children in our programs, and use produce from our farms for emergency food boxes, and to go into soups made in our Central Kitchen.
Production Farm & Permaculture
Our organic garden offers a replicable and scalable model for creating a sustainable community resource for good, healthy food. The Production Farm has 15,000 square feet of land dedicated to orchards and organic crops.
Last year we provided 40,000+ pounds of groceries to food insecure families, increasing food security across the county! We also piloted our Appetite for Change program that teaches families about planting and growing food through the lens of climate change.
CalFresh Assistance
Impact
The Numbers
The amount (in pounds) of food produced at our Production Farm in 2023
The number of healthy, organic meals and snacks provided to 553 children enrolled in our Children and Family Services programs
The number of meals provided as part of the county’s Senior Congregate Meal program
Racial & Economic Advocacy
Marin County is one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. Yet many in our community go without the basics of healthy food, in fact 1 in 5 families (and 1 in 3 seniors) in Marin struggle to put food on the table. Others lack affordable housing, and a living wage. Income inequality in Marin is among the highest in the nation. Marin is also one of the most racially disparate counties in California. Race plays a large role in who is well off and who is not. All of us who live, work, and visit Marin, across all racial and ethnic groups and income levels, deserve dignity and respect.
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