Farm2People’s mission is to Secure Local Harvests & Fight Hunger in Greater Los Angeles, and we do our work with regenerative and collaborative values.

Securing Local Harvests

Meet Our Farmers

Why? Because even though California is the nation’s largest food producing state, we lose hundreds of small and independent farmers every year… And while Los Angeles is the second most populated metro area in the country, 1 in 4 LA households are estimated to be food and nutrition insecure.

Our food supply chain does not currently work for most people. But we can fix that!

By securing local and regional, regenerative harvests, Farm2People is empowering an alternative, local food supply chain — one that centers the needs of farmers and people.

By investing in local and regional regenerative farmers, we can

  • strengthen the Southern California food shed

  • keep independent growers growing

  • increase nutritious food access in Los Angeles

  • and protect our environment and natural resources

Photo: In the field with Riverside based farm partner Raul & Family Farms

Farm2People’s Farm Network

Fighting Hunger in Greater Los Angeles

Most hunger relief comes in the form of dry, shelf-stable, ultra-processed, untraceable or second hand food. Which is great! Hunger relief must come in many forms, and there is a use case for all types of food. There is no shame in this game! However, at Farm2People, we’ve noticed a gap. What’s often missing is fresh, traceable, nutritionally dense and culturally competent fruit and vegetables … because that type of food is logistically complex to obtain and often too expensive. So that’s what we work to provide.

Why? Because we believe that all people have a right to nutritious and culturally relevant food. And because we know that eating regenerative fruits and vegetables helps fight chronic disease, increases healthier overall outcomes, and adds dignity to the food seeker’s table!

This is how we invest in people!

Photo: Fernando Yuan at a distribution with Impacto, a program of Proyecto Pastoral.

Farm2People’s Supply Chain

is Regenerative

When we talk about “regenerative” practices in farming, we are first and foremost speaking of Indigenous and ancestral practices that fell out of fashion here when the Americas were colonized and industrialized. “Regenerative” — the industry-styled ag term — was brought (back) into popularity in the 1980s by a guy named Bob Rodale (of the famed Rodale Institute, which is also credited with popularizing the concept of organic farming in the aftermath of WWII …)

So what is regenerative farming? Essentially it’s a holistic style of land and crop management that builds soil health instead of depleting it. The outcomes of regenerative farming include more nutrient dense produce, safer working conditions for farmworkers and healthier ecosystems. Regenerative farming includes but is not limited to organic farming.

At Farm2People, we seek regenerative-practicing farm partners. Those partners might carry certifications (like organic or even regenerative-organic) but they may also be small or beginning farms working towards certifications. The bottom line is that our farm partners maintain a commitment to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals through specific practices. And that’s how we offer the most nutritious support to food seekers, on the other end of our supply chain!

Photo: Farmer Francisco of Wilcris Organics sharing about the soil beneath his avocado trees.

and Collaborative

We are only one part of the solution, only one part of an alternative local food supply chain. Here are the stakeholders that we rely on and, reflexively, exist to support:

  • Farmers & Farmworker! They save seeds and plan, plant, nurture, harvest then repeat. They take on the greatest risk. Farm work is hard, under-paid, under-seen and under-supported.

  • Food Distributors! For Farm2People, these are Institutions, Nonprofits, Community Based and Mutual Aid Organizations.

  • Policy Advocates! They help bring awareness and funding to values-driven work.

  • Researchers! They collect, analyze and interpret the information that shapes advocacy.

  • People aka Food Seekers! This is you, me and all our friends and neighbors.

Photo: A distribution event produced by Rise Church in Orange County featuring produce procured by our team at Farm2People.

FAQs

  • California Association of Food Banks (CAFB)

    Our procurement partner through LFPA/Farms Together that helped us scale our work!

  • California Food and Farming Network (CFFN)

    Our partner network in policy advocacy.

  • CalPoly Pomona

    Our valued academic resources partner, specifically the Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies.

  • Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)

    Our valued LPFA programs and advocacy partner since 2023.

  • Farms Together

    Our valued LPFA programs and advocacy partner since 2023.

  • Fresh Approach

    Our valued LPFA programs and advocacy partner since 2023.

  • The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles

    A member of our valued charitable donor community.

  • Los Angeles Food Policy Council

    Our local food system policy network.

  • Max Factor Family Foundation

    A member of our valued charitable donor community.

  • Organically Grown

    A member of our valued charitable donor community.

  • Vesta Foods

    A cold chain and distro mentor and partner since 2021.

  • United American Indian Involvement (UAII)

    A member of our valuable direct distribution partner network.

  • Impact Justice

    Community and learning partner focused on reform within and without the carceral system.