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Food for Thought: Insight on the Topic of Food Security in Los Angeles
Design & impact news
With one in ten families in Los Angeles being food insecure, how can we improve food accessibility in our own city and participate in providing for our growing national population? That was the focus of a recent Center for Designed Philanthropy event, which featured expert panelists sharing their experiences tackling this timely issue. At the Center for Designed Philanthropy, we know that many people are deeply concerned about the pressing challenges facing our society and that many would like to be actively engaged in addressing them. That is why we create opportunities for collaboration and for thought-provoking dialogue on how we can turn our concern into action. The panelists included Jonathan Bloom, journalist and author of American Wasteland; Rabbi Noah Zvi Farkas, co-founder, Netiya; and Pam Kaizer, chair, Food Forward; and was moderated by Paula A. Daniels, senior advisor to former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and founding chair, Los Angeles Food Policy Council. (Continued on page 2)
Vol. 2 No. 2 • August 2013
WHAT IS FOOD SECURITY? According to the World Health Organization, “food security” is about food availability (proximity to markets), food access (availability of various types of foods) and food use. Food insecurity describes the experience of those who live in areas without proximity to markets (food deserts) or areas where markets exist but offer only highly processed convenience products (food swamps). Panel moderator Paula Daniels explained that Los Angeles is characterized less by food deserts and more by food swamps located almost exclusively in lowincome areas—unlike in the 1950s, when the poorest
communities had the healthiest diets. In explaining the change, she pointed to the mid-century shift away from small farms and toward agri-business, which created efficiency of scale, but not necessarily equal access to high quality foods. In Los Angeles, half the city’s seniors and 25 percent of its children are food insecure. Not surprisingly, these same populations struggle with diabetes and obesity. South Los Angeles has three times more poverty, obesity, diabetes and corner stores than the Westside and only a third as many grocery stores.
WHAT IS BEING DONE TO STOP FOOD INJUSTICE? One way to tackle the issue is through efforts like the Community Market Conversion Program, supported by the L.A. Food Policy Council and designed to help small neighborhood stores access and sell healthy products. Food Forward is tackling food insecurity in a different way, said panelist Pam Kaizer, using volunteers to collect food that otherwise would be wasted and distributing it to food banks, nonprofits and after-school programs. This includes harvesting trees in backyards and gleaning produce left over at farmers’ markets. Netiya (Hebrew for “planting”) mobilizes hundreds of volunteers to grow food and distribute it to food banks. The goal of the organization – which has received a Cutting Edge Grant from The Foundation – is to create a sustainable, self-supporting system in which food can be locally grown, panelist Rabbi Noah Farkas said.
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Panelists (L-R):
Rabbi Noah Farkas, co-founder of Netiya, a Jewish network with interfaith partners that advances urban agriculture in our synagogues, schools, and nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles. Its mission: to work towards a just and resilient food system. Paula A. Daniels, Senior Advisor to former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Food Policy and Special Projects in Water.
OUR PANELISTS...
Pam Kaizer, Board Chair of Food Forward, a volunteer-powered grassroots group of Angelenos who care about reconnecting to our food system and making change around urban hunger. Jonathan Bloom, a journalist and food waste expert, author of American Wasteland and the blog Wasted Food.
getting involved: HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE In the Q & A session following the panel’s presentation, the conversation turned toward food waste. Jonathan Bloom, who wrote the definitive book on the subject, said “there’s nothing less sustainable than wasting 40 percent of what we make.” He pointed out that food waste also means loss of the water, fertilizer and energy used to grow and produce food and that garbage in a landfill creates methane, contributing to climate change. This issue can also be addressed, in part, Paula Daniels added, by kitchen composting. The panelists agreed that knowing where our food comes from makes us feel more connected to what we eat. That’s particularly important for children, Bloom said. “The closer we are to it, the more we will value it.”
To learn more about these organizations and their programs, please
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contact the Center for Designed Philanthropy at (323) 761-8705.
This presentation informed and inspired me. It is empowering to realize what like-minded people can do to help support these important programs. – Nancy Berman
Art collector and mom to two adult children who are organic growers
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Organizations Addressing Food Insecurity In Los Angeles FUNDING AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Food Forward www.foodforward.org
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles – SOVA www.jfsla.org/sova
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank www.lafoodbank.org
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger www.mazon.org
Meet Each Need with Dignity (MEND) www.mendpoverty.org
Netiya (Fiscal Sponsor: Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue) www.netiya.org
Touch of Kindness – Tomchei Shabbos of Los Angeles www.tomcheishabbos.org
West Side Food Bank www.westsidefoodbankca.org
We are grateful to the hosts of our Food for Thought event, Foundation donors Keenan and Orna Wolens. Pictured: (L-R) Foundation Trustee Keenan Wolens; Orna Wolens; Amelia Xann, Vice President, Center for Designed Philanthropy; and Larry Rauch, Foundation Chair.
Bus Tour/Site Visit — Sunday, October 6th
YOU ARE INVITED... Passionate about food security or curious to learn more? Join us for a bus tour on Sunday morning, October 6th to see firsthand the important work being done right here in Los Angeles to tackle this critical issue, from gleaning to food distribution. Space is limited. For more details contact us at (323) 761-8705 or thecenter@jewishfoundationla.org.
Center Commentary Philanthropy plays a vital role in addressing food insecurity here in Los Angeles. The High Holidays are a great time of year to engage your family members—both children and grandchildren—in opportunities for tikkun olam across the generations. You can volunteer time and resources to efforts such as community gardening, gleaning and food banks, and can also explore ways of being more mindful of personal food use and food waste as a family. See p. 3 for a select list of organizations working to tackle this important issue. The Center is here to connect you with quality funding and volunteer opportunities in this area or another of your choice. Please let us know how we can assist you in maximizing your philanthropy. – Amelia Xann Vice President, Center for Designed Philanthropy
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Our expert staff can answer your questions about identifying quality funding opportunities, creating a lasting legacy and much more. Contact (323) 761-8705 or thecenter@jewishfoundationla.org. For more information, visit www.jewishfoundationla.org/center.
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1. Orna and Keenan Wolens
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2. Diane Sweet, Lynn Levine 3. Stewart and Joyce Fordham 4. Mark Schwartz, Catherine and Tony Chanin, Pam Kaizer, Larry Rauch 5. Tina Berkett, Guzman Rosado 6. Doug and Felice Williams, Larry Rauch 7. Cathy Siegel Weiss and Ken Weiss
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8. Sandra Factor Fineman and Allan Fineman 9. Basil Anderman 10. Evan Schlessinger, Keenan Wolens, Lisa and Mark Schwartz 11. Rich Labowe 12. Robert Aronoff
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In the Spotlight Giving at the High Holidays With the High Holidays just around the corner, many of us are looking forward to Rosh Hashana dinners with our families and loved ones, as we prepare to enter a season of prayer and reflection. However, we are reminded that so many struggle to put enough food on their tables.
The Center for Designed Philanthropy helps donors shape meaningful, personalized philanthropic strategies, build consensus among family members, and develop creative solutions to magnify the impact of their giving. (323) 761-8705
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The High Holidays are an especially poignant time to continue the tradition of giving, of tzedaka. Every High Holiday season The Foundation provides funding for food pantries in Israel. May we all take a moment during these holidays to consider steps each of us might take in the coming year to give back, and make a difference in our own way.
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Editors: Bonnie Samotin Zev & Lewis Groner
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