In 2010, the Service Learning Institute received USDA funding from the Community Food Projects Program  for the Salinas-Marina Community Food Project. The Project evolved out of the Salinas Chinatown Community Garden developed in 2006 by and for the local marginalized neighborhood of Salinas Chinatown.

The Service Learning Institute coordinates the Salinas-Marina Community Food Project, which is a collaborative effort between the following organizations:

 
The Project’s mission is to increase access to fresh production of food, nutrition education, employment training, and free public green space by building and maintaining community gardens with and for underserved populations.

The Project’s three main goals are:

  • to increase the consumption of fresh organic produce,
  • provide a supportive work environment nurturing entrepreneurial enterprise, and
  • create free public green space.
     

In 2011, the Project built two new gardens:

Goodwill’s - Shoreline Workforce Development Services program

At the Shoreline garden, Goodwill’s - Shoreline culinary program is growing food with students in the new garden, Goodwill has been developing collaborations with other non-profits to be a part of the  garden in Marina. Each program connected to the Shoreline garden has an educational aspect to it, utilizing the garden to teach people about healthy living, life skills, and much more. Groups involved include: Peninsula Wellness Center Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula , Marina Tree and Garden Club , and Veterans Transition Center .

Sun Street’s - Pueblo Del Mar program

At Pueblo Del Mar, CSUMB students and staff have been working closely with residents to develop a nutrition education programs for the Project’s community gardens.

To read more about the grant and the project in it's entireity visit the USDA's weblink

Posted by Asya Guillory on Dec 01, 2011 -