Progress 09/01/18 to 03/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:In South Los Angeles (SLA) where RootDown LA (RDLA) works, there is a compelling combination of challenges and opportunities to meet the food needs of our primarily low-income residents. Where we work, health and economic disparities make it challenging for residents to thrive: 51-72% of all households (predominately Latin/African American) are at or below the 185% federal poverty level FPL[1]; The LA County Department of Public Health reports, 37% of adults and 30% of youth here are obese and 11% of all adults in SLA have been diagnosed with diabetes - nearly double the percentage of those diagnosed in other Los Angeles Service Planning Areas (SPAs) [2]. In 2009, diabetes emerged in our SPA as a leading cause for death, ranked fourth below coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer - all diet related illnesses [3]. South LA is vast. Healthy food retailers and culturally relevant community food and nutrition projects that can build demand for healthy food are few and far between. Funding doesn't always sustain healthy food programs long-term, leaving SLA residents in the habit of choosing the cheap, high-calorie, low-nutrient foods that can increase the risk for diet related illnesses. In what we call our Youth-driven Neighborhood Food Systems, RDLA has built significant demand for our programs and our healthy food such that the increased requests from schools, businesses, other community organizations and individuals cannot currently be met. Fortunately, RDLA is tapped into one of South LA's most resilient resources to help address this demand - SLA youth! RDLA and project partners share a strong common vision: they believe that SLA's young people, given even moderate educational or vocational supports and opportunities, are thrilled to become actively engaged in the creation of long-term solutions to the challenge of food insecurity. The youth supported via the Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline, from elementary through to post-high school graduates, and other SLA residents we reach through existing and new partner sites and retail outlets/points of sale, are the intended initial beneficiaries of this project. And, while all youth-in South LA are considered "at-risk" due to pervasive social and economic disparities in this community, we will work to provide extra mentorship and opportunities to those youth dealing with added socioeconomic challenges. 1] CDPH GIS Map Viewer, 2010 Census Tracts [2] Obesity/Related Mortality in LA County: A Cities & Communities Health Report; Sept. 2011 [3] Health Atlas for the City of LA, 2013 Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?RDLA's programs/trainings are designed to create a Youth-Driven Neighborhood Food System. Towards that end, our programs/trainings combine into a comprehensive strategy to address issues of food justice in South Los Angeles. In our Youth-driven Neighborhood Food System, youth may start as participants in our community programs, then volunteer in our programs, and subsequently join our training. At the highest level of engagement, youth are offered paid apprenticeship opportunities that can set them on career paths with RootDown LA or at other organizations. The South LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline Funded by NIFA, initiative supports RDLA and partners to engage youth participants and design shared outcomes for them in healthy food and food justice programs beginning in elementary school up through high school. We work with community partners such as the Los Angeles Police Department, Carver Middle School, WYLD Outdoor Education, and the LA City Summer Jobs workforce program to assure that youth in our programs have the support they need to succeed over time. Once these youth are self-identified we enroll them into our Healthy Food Access and Entrepreneurial Training Programs that consist of a multi-week horticultural and new Zero-waste culinary training programs that trains high school students to get healthier fresh and prepared foods into the community via our relationships with local cafes, businesses, and farmers markets. We will also launch a year-long training program at Carver Middle School that trains students how to glean and redistribute food from the surrounding community. Funded by the (NIFA), we will also establish a commissary kitchen that is used for our Healthy Food Tastings and other projects in development. The 13-week zero waste culinary training program providing basic culinary cooking techniques, ServSafe certification, employment readiness, interview mock-ups and food business marketing 101. The training provides 13 weeks for 5-hour long class sessions where students learn to repurpose foods scrap by using every part of the plant. Part of the plant that are not used are put into RDLA's composting system to decompose and use for soil health. The training utilizes the produce growing in the community garden that RDLA oversee at Carver Middle School to get participants and community member an incentive to eating and buying healthier locally grown produce. Through our Youth Entrepreneurial Intern/Employment Programs, youth graduates can work with RDLA in a committed or paid capacity and can apply to become horticultural or culinary apprentices or youth staff. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? RDLA's programs/trainings are designed to create a Youth-Driven Neighborhood Food System. Towards that end, our programs/trainings combine into a comprehensive strategy to address issues of food justice in South Los Angeles. In our Youth-driven Neighborhood Food System, youth may start as participants in our community programs, then volunteer in our programs, and subsequently join our training. At the highest level of engagement, youth are offered paid apprenticeship opportunities that can set them on career paths with RootDown LA or at other organizations. The South LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline Funded by NIFA, initiative supports RDLA and partners to engage youth participants and design shared outcomes for them in healthy food and food justice programs beginning in elementary school up through high school. We work with community partners such as the Los Angeles Police Department, Carver Middle School, WYLD Outdoor Education, and the LA City Summer Jobs workforce program to assure that youth in our programs have the support they need to succeed over time. Once these youth are self-identified we enroll them into our Healthy Food Access and Entrepreneurial Training Programs that consist of a multi-week horticultural and new Zero-waste culinary training programs that trains high school students to get healthier fresh and prepared foods into the community via our relationships with local cafes, businesses, and farmers markets. We will also launch a year-long training program at Carver Middle School that trains students how to glean and redistribute food from the surrounding community. Funded by the (NIFA), we will also establish a commissary kitchen that is used for our Healthy Food Tastings and other projects in development. The 13-week zero waste culinary training program providing basic culinary cooking techniques, ServSafe certification, employment readiness, interview mock-ups and food business marketing 101. The training provides 13 weeks for 5-hour long class sessions where students learn to repurpose foods scrap by using every part of the plant. Part of the plant that are not used are put into RDLA's composting system to decompose and use for soil health. The training utilizes the produce growing in the community garden that RDLA oversee at Carver Middle School to get participants and community member an incentive to eating and buying healthier locally grown produce. Through our Youth Entrepreneurial Intern/Employment Programs, youth graduates can work with RDLA in a committed or paid capacity and can apply to become horticultural or culinary apprentices or youth staff. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through NIFA funding, RootDown LA successfully leveraged a network of over 20+ partnerships to deliver its programs/trainings. In the South LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline program, our staff and trained youth apprentices work with community partners such as local schools, police, the City of Los Angeles, and other nonprofit programs to deliver our nutrition and food justice education programs to elementary, middle, and high school students from predominantly Title I schools. Our programs are for and powered by South LA's youth. Our community programs reach the broader communities of South Los Angeles, but the primary focus of our core training programs is high school students attending and recently graduated from Title I high schools in South LA, particularly in the Historic South Central, Vermont-Slauson, South Park and Central Alameda, University Park, and Exposition Park neighborhoods. We also partner with an educational farm in Compton. The South LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline program includes elementary and middle school students in our outreach and education programs. In our school partners' neighborhoods, less than 42% of students graduate high school and less than 5% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher. Many of the students are US-born Latinos and African American youth whose parents and grandparents come from Mexico, Central America, and the southern United States. Drawing from a rich culture of food, family, farming, they aspire to greater opportunities for themselves and their community. Our youth gain real job experiences, learn about food justice issues in their community, and become civically engaged. From apprentices to staff, each position is developed to fit the financial and logistical needs of the youth in those roles. In the past years as we developed the Healthy Youth and Food Pipeline Program and have begun to track the longer term outcomes of our programs on youth, we can report that of nearly 100 youth who have participated in multiple RootDown LA programs over a decade, 80% succeeded in paid positions with RootDown LA as evidenced by the following metrics: 50% of them went on to two- or four-year colleges; 80% of them secured jobs after high school graduation; and 20% continued to study or work in related food/community health fields. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1 -RootDown LA successfully trained 30 youth from the ages of 16-24 under the Zero-waste culinary training program. Reports from the all three cohort of youth participants showed an increase of 55 percent change in their healthy food preferences, 110 percent increase in knowledge and preparation, and 50 percent increase in self-confidence. -RootDown LA successfully hired 5 culinary apprentices from the 13-week culinary training program to provide re-occurring cooking and nutrition programming for up to 30 elementary students enrolled in the PAL program with LAPD for one year. -RootDown LA successfully worked with the 300 students from CMS and provided food justice and nutrition programming. On a weekly bases, RDLA offers hands-on learning activities in the garden and classroom-based curriculum learning outdoors in the garden. Data from our intake/outtake reports that RDLA youth participants from three different classes and indirect participants during lunchtime showed a 50 percent increase in healthy food preferences, 50 percent increase in food knowledge and 50 percent increase in self-confidence. Individual classes showed a 25-50 percent improvement. Starting with a high base of youth participants disliking vegetables, 60 percent change their preferences to liking vegetables this is an average of all classes combine after taking the program. Participants qualitatively also reported to feel safer in the outdoor classroom environment, attendance participation increased from those students who were absent most of the times. This program was provided in two languages to better serve our Spanish population. More than 80 percent of the students attending CMS are Latinos/Hispanics where 36.1 percent are first time English learners. -RootDown LA partnered withConaxion who provided a small business prospective approach and knowledge was vital to supporting RDLA with a working hybrid business plan that addressed the organizations needs to train and employ SLA youth to use Zero-waste principals to develops new value-added products in South LA. -RootDown LA, successfully served more than 5000 South LA residents meet their essential needs for healthy food and employment opportunities combined over the duration of the NIFA project. Goal 2 - -RootDown LAsuccessfully hosted 5 big annual demos/catering/events that employed all our 13-week culinary youth trainees at least one time. Our end of the year dinner celebrate is event where we invite 10 local partner organizations, city representatives and close funders to enjoy a sit-down dinner. The course dinner is prepared by the trainee alumni to showcase, and demonstrate their new cooking skills and food preparation knowledge. The end goal is to put them in the forefronts of job opportunities for them to meet different groups of professionals from different backgrounds. The culmination of the training is an opportunity to network with a broader community before entering the workforce. -RootDown LA, in partnership with LAPD and WYLD, successfully conducted field trips for elementary students ages 7-12 providing up to 30 inner city kids outdoor experiences through WYLD nature connect programs. In addition, RDLA provide more paid opportunities for 13-week trainee alumni to provide healthy food snacks for the field trips. -RootDown LA successfully worked with partners First Place for Youth and Stepping Forward LA to recruit foster youth for 13-week zero waste culinary training that centered on the barriers and lack of access to healthy food. Barriers that foster youth encounter during their transitional housing phase involves access to cooking equipment, food preparation knowledge, sanitation and food safety. Reports from foster youth interviewed for the 13-week culinary training program showed that many of these youth don't know how to cook an essential meal for themselves. More than half of the foster youth participants had never cooked in a kitchen before, held a knife, or knew how to turn on a stove. RDLA collaborated with both foster youth agencies to train the first cohort of 13-week trainees to improve their living conditions and provide the food knowledge to help build their life skills. RDLA in return learned to tailor a curriculum that provides inclusivity and safe space for foster youth. Many of these youth have traumatic experiences leaving the foster care system, qualitative reports from former foster youth suggest that RDLA's curriculum provided these youth to learn to basic cook for themselves as an essential life and survival skill. -RootDown LA successfully installed a commissary kitchen at our headquarters. The kitchen allowed our 13-week training to evolve into a more professional learning environment. The kitchen was redesign to serve the needs of the classroom participants allowing more space capacity, efficiency and optimal use of the kitchen. In conjunction RDLA worked with the Department of Public Health in Los Angeles to codify the kitchen usage for food preparations. RDLA will continue to look for funds to extend the usage of the kitchen for street vendors soon. -RootDown LA successfully worked with a professional culinary expert to help develop a line of value-added products that youth will replicate and sell in South Los Angeles retail stores. These product developments are in conjunction with the 13-week training program that allows youth to develop their own line of value-added products to launch as the first youth-led social enterprise in South LA. Goal 3: As the result from NIFA funding, RootDown LA successfully builds more than 20 connections and 8 reoccurring partnerships collaboration during the duration of the grant. This has allowed us to tap into other partners' resources and networks and venture into other aspects of food justice with community investment. -RootDown LA successfully brought Carver Middle School more than $100,000 worth of resources through partnerships with companies such as Timberland the boots company, NBA Cares Clinic, and Student Conservation Association (SCA). This one-time collaboration provided all 700 students from CMS with health screenings through their NBA mobile clinics, a pair of timberland boots, and Herschel backpacks. SCA provided a total of 102 volunteers that served over 522 hours of hard labor to transform and beautify the garden space at CMS. Timberland purchased all materials and supplies needed for the garden transformation project this includes 50 cubic yards of mulch, assembled five picnic tables, assembled one tool shed, and build one compost system. Lastly, Timberland hired our 13-week culinary youth graduates to provide the catered meal for the garden workday. Youth trainees successfully feed more than 200 people during this event. -RootDown LA successfully collaborated with partners Conaxion and the Center for Non-Profit Management, to design a business plan that supports the non-profit through a social venture enterprise. The blue prints of this successful project under NIFA poised RDLA to apply for another USDA grant. The Local Food Promotion Program was awarded to RDLA in Oct 2020 the project PURPOSE was to support partners and RDLA to leverage RDLA's successful Zero-waste Youth Culinary Training Program, support local/regional farmers, youth entrepreneurs, and smaller SLA food producers, and to reduce on-farm/community food waste and safely produce/market more local/regional value-added agricultural products in SLA. -RootDown LA, successfully managed to track youth impacts, capture storytelling and share successful wins happening during the grant period via Instagram and Facebook handles #NIFAImpacts.
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:RootDown LA(RDLA) leverages a network of partnerships to deliver its programs. In the South LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline program, our staff and trained youth apprentices work with community partners such as local schools, police, the City of Los Angeles, and other nonprofit programs to deliver our nutrition and food justice education programs to elementary, middle, and high school students from predominantly Title I schools. Our programs are held in South Los Angeles, primarily in the Historic South-Central, Vermont-Slauson, South Park and Central Alameda, University Park, and Exposition Park neighborhoods. We also partner with an educational farm in Compton. Changes/Problems:Many programs changed during the pandemic. RDLA adapted the virtual platformsto most of the programming. Once the mandate was lifted we successfully ran an in-person 13-week zerowaste culinary training at our headquarters. Thesetrainees are the graduates that get hired on-callbasis when we do catering.The following programs got affected by the pandemic. Enhanced elementary age programs continue with w/LAPD.The PAL LAPD program closed and RDLA partnerwith anelementary-age partnership that serves as a feeder school to Carver MS. Potential partnership is the ASANA Academies public charter school ages TK-8th located behind the Carver M.S campus. Currently hosting garden tours and they show an interest in our Food Justice and Nutrition Program. This aligns with our Healthy Food & Youth Pipeline goals. Regular WYLD/RDLA middle school activities continue.RDLA continues to facilitate virtual garden tours until students return to the school campus. Working with LAUSD to approve the curriculum for program and service trailed from the NIFA activities goals. WYLD left the partnership because the organization is no longer in operations. 2 at-risk CMS students were selected for food promotion.RDLA hasn't moved forward with any food promotion because we need to formally train a new batch of youth in the year 2022. Some challenges had to do with capacity building and maximizing the work of staff members that contributed major parts of NIFA related activities. We collaborated with multiple non-profit organizations to maximize resources all of those activities aligned with the NIFA project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Project partners RDLA, LAPD & other partner orgs working with foster/homeless youth (First Place for Youth, Harbor Interfaith, PATH) help identify at-risk youth for HS/recent grad culinary training program.RDLA staffers Ana and Karen have first met with the First Place for Youth to help identify the need with the 13-week zerowaste training amongst the foster youth community. RDLA launches 1st HS/grad culinary training w/ value-added food production trips to LAK/TG. Stepping Forward LA (SFLA), partners to run adjunct skills training program w/ basic finance, resume writing, job-hunting, etc. skills.RDLA launches its first pilot 13-week zerowaste training with foster youth from Stepping Forward LA providing basic culinary skills, food justice, and nutrition information to develop their individual self-confidence on cooking healthier meals. Students in this cohort were exposed to culturally relevant food choices, recipe development/costing Value Added Products to help with the development of the social food venture. Participants did farmers market research and product sampling with partners Cruzitas Cafe in Huntington Park. In partnership with Conaxion to develop the employment readiness to develop the youth soft skills and develop their resumes. LAPD elementary-age youth join at LAK for production days. Round 1 value-added food products sold via RDLA current retail outlets - Cruzita's /Central Ave. Farm Market.LAPD elementary age youth joined a food production day at the Big House to help develop the Salsa Verde and Strawberry Jam alongside 13-week trainee graduates. Compile evaluation results from 1st culinary training program to inform 2nd run. • Launch regular collaborative RDLA/WYLD middle school program activities.RDLA works with partners Stepping Forward and Conaxion to evaluate the training with first-time participants. The second cohort is composed of former foster youth and local high school recruits. This is the 2nd youth cohort of the 13-week training RDLA culinary training program ends/grads invited to apply for 2 RDLA Jr catering staff positions or LAK/TG training/jobs. RDLA trials holiday catering activities.RD youth staff gets hired by RDLA to host an end-of-the-year pop-up dinner to help inform community leaders of the importance of training youth in trade skills. Students demonstrated leadership and ownership of the 13-week training this allowed an important partnership with the Yo-Watts Center a youth summer employment center and a partnership with GRYD Foundation a gang prevention organization. The city contract with GRYD has allowed youth alumni from the training to continue to stay engaged and hired during the summer/fall semesters. Providing cooking demonstrations to over 20 local recreational parks as part of their Summer/Fall nightlights programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of the 2020 pandemic have impacted low-income communities of color vastly and it's reflected in partnership organizations' decisions to close programming due to the Pandemic emergency. Enhanced elementary age programs continue w/LAPD, Introduce video evaluation/youth video themselves doing cooking demos; videos support marketing campaigns.RDLA works with partners Moonwater Farms in Compton to hire our youth apprentice to provide food justice and nutrition classes during their summer camp. This was a shift due to the PAL Program closing. Regular WYLD/RDLA middle school activities continue. The schoolremains close due to the Pandemic. RDLA shifts gears to provide virtual cooking classes and virtual garden tours. 4 at-risk SLA youth selected from culinary training program by project & youth mentor orgs to join youth branding team.RDLA hired youth apprentices continue to do trail development on the products. The organization pivot to train our youth apprentice to launch virtual cooking classes. 13-week training for the 4th cohort is on hold till the year 2022 to allow run to re-develop parts of the curriculum and obtain feedback from former partners. LAK/TG/volunteers support Youth Branding Team to develop packaging /branding for "You're Gonna Wanna Eat Your Veggies Campaign " to promote new products in SLA.RDLA puts on hold the Youth Branding Team to focus on the needs of our youth during the pandemic. Youth trainees continue to be active on RDLA Social Media platforms providing healthy, quick, and easy recipes to pair with the " Drop n Go Meals provided by local organizations to support the food insecurities in South Los Angeles. Data collected from evaluator: Observations: 13 wktraining of HS students took place between March 2.2019 and June 1, 2019. Class average performance shows noticeable and significant improvement due to training 6students participated in the training. One student did not complete the training. But, analyzing on an individual student basis, it is evident that students gained knowledge on the subject matter covered and also gained confidence in sharing that knowledge with others training on "What is a value-added food product" can be strengthened a bit because this seems to be a new concept to most incoming students. Analysis has assumed equal weightage to strengthening knowledge and student confidence. ELEMENTARY NUTRITION/COOKING CLASS Description: Participants will meet once a week for approximately 2 hrs to learn basic nutrition lessons focusing on why veggies/whole foods are healthier than processed foods. They will learn basic kitchen safety concepts and cooking techniques that make them want to eat healthy food. They will also be encouraged to teach what they learn to others and become confident in promoting healthy food. Students are between 7-12 years of age. The elementary program runs for 5 weeks. NIFA Objective 1 - At least 40 elementary youth receive enhanced cooking classes and show a 50% increase in knowledge to prepare and have a preference for healthy food, self-confidence to promote healthy food. 1. Students show a 50% increase in knowledge to prepare healthy food. Includes KNOWLEDGE about KITCHEN SAFETY and techniques used to make vegetables taste better. 2. Students show a 50% increase in PREFERENCE FOR VEGGIES:We decided to stick to 1 Veggie Survey featuring 10 veggies for both summer and winter. These are the following veggies we will be using during the classes 3. Students show an increase in SELF CONFIDENCE TO PROMOTE healthy food.Students will be encouraged to cook things at home and will be making some jam (value-added products) they will have a chance to sell and/or promote the benefits to their peers/families/teachers. MIDDLE SCHOOL NUTRITION/COOKING CLASS Description: We have two different groups we must reach. We'll reach 300 unique students at least once teaching them the mural lesson and giving them a food tasting that is highly focused on getting EACH kid to taste a veggie he/she thinks he/she does not like and getting him/her to change his/her mind about liking it. At least 10 at-risk students will be selected to join a more intensive 6-month training program where they will meet twice a week for approximately 45 minutes. They will learn basic nutrition facts, cooking techniques, and how to grow and glean food (gleaning = gathering food from neighbors/using all parts of plants others may not use) and promote and distribute healthy food to the community via school sales Points of Sales (POS) such as; Cruzita's (small mother/ daughter deli & cafe), Farmers Market and Community Events. Students are between 11-14 years of age.We are tracking a 50% increase on the following: Knowledge to prepare healthy food Preference for healthy food Self-confidence to promote and distribute 10 at-risk youth in the 6-month program show a 50% increase in KNOWLEDGE TO PREPARE healthy food. 10 at-risk youth show a 50% increase PREFERENCE FOR HEALTHY FOOD 10 at-risk youth show a 50% increase in SELF CONFIDENCE TO DISTRIBUTE healthy food: CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM ( 13-week Zero-Waste Culinary Training) Description: Participants will learn basic cooking techniques, knife skills, soft/ hard skills, and an intro to the business and educational aspects of food industries. Participants are between 17-24 years of age. At least 10 HS students/recent grads complete the RDLA training program and go on to additional professional training or jobs. Duration is 13-weeks. Students show an increase of 50% METHOD TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE Students show an increase of 50% PRODUCING HIGH VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS Students show an increase of 50% KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTHY FOOD PREPARATION/ SAFETY METHOD What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goals accomplished are the following: Project partners convene to review project plans/set first half-year action items. Joining also: SLA community members/volunteers. Note - The majority of RDLA staff are SLA residents and former RDLA program participants.This meeting happened between partners Conaxion and Stepping Forward LA, LA Kitchen, WYLD, and volunteers to discuss the parts from the 13-week Zerowaste training that each partner will contribute. Meet with the evaluator to establish evaluation methods/tools. Select/set baselines measures. Disseminate plan to partners.Meeting between Megan, Karen, Ana, and Sundara to create an internal tracking tool and evaluation intake/outtake to track the program data. Tools created from this meeting include Elementary, Middle School, and High School surveys tracking their increase in healthy food preferences, increase in food knowledge and increase in self-confidence. Refine/recruit for culinary training program • Plan/launch enhanced elementary-age program activities • Trial new shared RDLA/WYLD middle school program activities.RDLA and WYLD conducted the first field trip to a nature hike with 30 kids from the LAPD PALA program to connect to nature. RDLA youth alumni from the 13-week zerowaste training program provide healthy food and snacks for the field trip and engaged in activities building connectivity between kids and young adults engaging into an intergenerational connection. RDLA & consulting partners, LA Kitchen (LAK) and Tender Greens (TG) help refine the culinary training program RDLA develops/trials 1x in 2018. The initialmeeting between partners LA Kitchen and Tender Greens help refine and look at the existing curriculum to add access to raw produce. Partners LA Kitchen proposed to launch the " Seed to Sky Project" a food venture in the Los Angeles Airport to map where produce in the salad bowls prepped by our LA Kitchen partners commercial facilities and have RDLA support with the training of youth staff and growing partners. The part of the curriculum that was going to be revised would include the usage of RDLA's mothership gardens to purchase the product from our gardens. Project partners meet with youth mentor/support orgs to clarify how more at-risk SLA youth can be identified and supported throughout the Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline.Working with foster youth agencies First Place for Youth and Stepping Forward LA to better address the needs of the foster youth community. The finding of this collaboration showed a need for transitional housing and soft skills development for young adults. particular areas of RDLA expertise and interest are with developing their cooking skills so they can prep their own meal. Youth from Stepping Forward LA reported that in foster homes they are not allowed in the kitchen. This makes it hard for youth transitioning out of foster care to not know how to make a basic homemade meal. The 13-week training curriculum includes gender-fluid competency, culturally relevant recipes, basic culinary techniques, zerowaste principles, food justice, employment readiness, and mentorship. The first 13-week training cohort recruits came from the Mar Visit Foster. RDLA/WYLD trial shared growing/gleaning activities at Carver Middle School (CMS); RDLA trials monthly nutrition/cooking activities w/CMS youth/staff. 2 at-risk CMS students were selected to promote/distribute grown/gleaned local produce at CMS.RootDown LA staffer Blanca and Andres work together to provide outdoor classroom activities in the Carver garden with Ms. Bautista Math teacher for 7th graders and Science teacher Ms. Kartub for 7th graders. On average students meet twice a week during their classrooms periods for 60min sessions. RDLA launches enhanced elementary age programs; LAPD identifies youth to get extra mentoring by RDLA staff.Chef Cyril alongside culinary youth apprentice Blanca and Elijah provide cooking and nutrition education to PAL program participants. On average seeing 25-30 students from ages 6-12. Enhanced elementary age programs continue with w/LAPD.RDLA team gets hired by the freedom schools to provide cooking and nutrition cooking classes to elementary level youth during the summer hiring former trainees graduates to facilitate the cooking classes. Regular RDLA/WYLD middle school activities begin for all CM students; 2 at-risk CMS students were selected to promote/distribute grown/gleaned local produce at CMS and to RDLA for the culinary training program and trial catering.Continue the outdoor activities with the nutrition educations and hands-on gardening activities with Carver Math and Science teachers. RDLA is reaching directly 60 students and indirectly on we weekly basis 100 youth that drop in during lunchtime to sample our " you're gonna wanna eat your veggies" cooking demonstration healthy tastings. Project partners convene to review project plans and set 2nd half-year action items. RDLA's other youth partner mentor/support orgs, such as First Place for Youth, PATH, Stepping forward LA, join also.Partners admin from Carver and RDLA evaluate the action items and set need goals for the garden scope of work. This included funding from the school budget to keep our food production manager hired for the remainder of the year. RDLA committee to develop an LAUSD curriculum-based that includes NIFA goals and objectives. Information from the partnership meeting informed of the need for more trainees to bring them on board to provide capacity. Trial sales of healthy catered food items to LAPD/CMS begin; project youth at sites support promotion/facilitation of catered meetings/holiday at LAPD/CMSRDLA hosts Timberland the boots, NBA Cares clinic, Student Conservation Association (SCA) at Carver MS to transform the space into an outdoor classroom. RDLA gets hired to cater the event serving over 200 people during the volunteer's day. 700 Students from Carver received Herchel backpacks, Timberland boots, and clinic services. In total, 102 participants served 522 hours to transform the school garden and fit students with new Timberland shoes. We laid 50 cubic yards of mulch, built 5 picnic tables, 1 tool shed, and 1 compost bin, and removed all debris and undesirable plants. The leaders and volunteers also painted benches and tables in school colors, pruned 5 trees, and more. RD youth are invited to trail catering goods at a fundraiser for the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena. Develop marketing/branding for value-added product/catering sales.RDLA team works with partners Conaxion to develop a business plan for social ventures. Conversation set to continue upon return from students from winter break. Review mid-term evaluation results to inform continued project development.RDLA puts on hold PAL programming due to the pandemic and the PAL program closed due to concerns around LAPD staffing and the state of emergency lockdown. ?
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:In South Los Angeles (SLA) where RootDown LA works, there is a compelling combination of challenges and opportunities to meet the food needs of our primarily low-income residents. Where we work, health and economic disparities make it challenging for residents to thrive: 51-72% of all households (predominately Latin/African American) are at or below the 185% federal poverty level FPL; The LA County Department of Public Health reports, 37% of adults and 30% of youth here are obese and 11% of all adults in SLA have been diagnosed with diabetes - nearly double the percentage of those diagnosed in other Los Angeles Service Planning Areas (SPAs)]. In 2009, diabetes emerged in our SPA as a leading cause for death, ranked fourth below coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer - all diet related illnesses. In year 2: 40 SLA elemetary students aged 8-13 enrolled Los Angeles Police Department extracurricular program 120 Caver Middle School Students (grades 6-8). 20 SLA Title 1 High School students (can be aged 18+) Changes/Problems:Root Down LA continues to adapt and adjust education activities to both follow state and county guidelines and ensure the continued safety of all participants, staff and partners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Low income residents of SLA have experienced rates of infection markedly higher than the general population averages, Root Down LA is mindful of the responsibility it carries as community organization in protecting the health of its staff, students and volunteers. Most instruction now happens remotely via online video conferencing. In the rare moments where in person instruction happens, strictly enforced mask and sanitizing protocols are in place. Change: shift form in-person to online nutrition and culinary arts instruction for students at elementary, middle and high school levels Challenge: consistent student attendence, reliable internet connection for students to attend classes Change: economic collappse of restaurant and catering industry Challenge: building specific relationships with individuals and organizations committed to supporting SLA youth trained in the culinary arts through catering orders and job placement opportunities What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Zero Waste Food Training Program for high school aged students: Food preparation, food safety, zero food waste strategies, food product marketing strategies, types of value added food products. Hard and soft skills development to increase employment potential in SLA. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been dissemented using the following methods: 1. Social media posts on Facebook and Instagram sharing images and videos from Culver Middle School garden visits and the Zero Food Waste Training Program. 70 posted (linked between platforms) tagged #nifaimpacts with average views of 50-300. Likes range in the 20-60 range on Instagram. 2. The monthly Root Down LA newsletter sent to 110 unique subscribers via email. 3. Decmber 2019: end of year dinner celebration, 25 partners attended, cohort trainees catered dinner, hosted and shared program experience What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Root Down LA plans to continue with existing elementary, middle and high school nutrition education programs as adapted to remote learning. The existing Zero Waste Food curriculum will be refined based on prior cohort feedback evaluation results. It is hoped that with widespread vaccination that it will be possible to hold classes in person with opportunities for hands on experiences for all students once again during the year 3 extension. Root Down LA will also continue to cultivate relationships with local organizations and government entities to invest in and sustain the organization through investment, fee for sevice catering, culinary job oppturnities for youth. Post-vaccination plans include catering business growth employing Zero Waste Food training graduates.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In the second year of funding, Root Down LA continued providing healthy eating and culinary arts classes to elementary, middle and high school aged South LA youth. From September 2019-February 2020, Root Down LA held those classes in person. In collaboration with the Los Angeles Police Department, elementary aged students participated in enhanced weekly nutrition education and cooking classes taught by Root Down LA staff. At the Carver Middle School outdoor garden classroom, Root Down LA provided weekly basic nutrition, cooking and food growing/gleaning lessons to select classrooms. Lunch time drop in hours provided opportunities for additional students to take part in food growing and garden cultivation. The second cohort of Root Down's Zero Waste Food Training program received training and graduated with a 100% success rate on the ServSafe food handling exam. When faced with the mid-year challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Root Down LA, along with project partners, paused programming to reassess operations. Responding to the pandemic and concomitant restrictions, Root Down LA continues to adapt and adjust activities to both follow state and county guidelines and ensure the continued safety of all participants, staff and partners. Education programs are now presented primarily in a virtual format and will continue this way until in person classes are allowed again. Cohort three of Root Down's Zero Waste Food Training program received training in a hybrid format, still graduating with a 100% success rate on the ServSafe food handling exam. Goal 1 - Improve access to healthy food by increasing the availability of locally produced healthy food for sale in South Los Angeles neighborhoods via new entrepreneurial culinary training/catering programs that become a foundation for a new youth-run SLA catering business. Objective/Outcome 1: The Zero Waste Food Training program continued with its second and third cohorts of 10 students each. Cohort 2 met for 13 weeks starting in September 2019. Cohort 3 met for 13 weeks, in part remotelty, starting in February 2020. Cohort 3 worked on recipe development of healthy value added food items. Objective/Outcome 2: This outcome is on hold due to COVD-19 restrictions and resulting lack of demand for catering. This will shift to the anticipated year 3 extension. Objective/Outcome 3:Due to pandemic related reduced demand, Root Down LA plans to focus on value added product sales and catering in the anticipated year 3 extension. Objective/Outcome 4: Root Down LA has developed two key relationships in support of new entrepreneurial activities in year 2. Business development mentorship is now provided by Conaxion, an economic development organization that supports small businesses in LA by providing entrepreneur mentorship, access to capital and technical assistance to build foundational structure for their business. Conaxion advisors are knowledgeable about the SLA economic landscape. Root Down LA also continues to work on developing relationships with potential future catering clients in SLA, building on existing one with local health clinic employees and school staff and administration. Goal 2 - Empower youth in South Los Angeles (SLA) to thrive, as they become key stakeholders, meeting the food needs of low-income individuals through a new healthy food production, promotion, and distribution pipeline in the SLA community. Objective/Outcome 1:In the second year, 40 unique elementary aged students were served by this program prior to COVID-19 restrictions. March 2020 forward, enrollment numbers are in flux due to the challenges of teaching young students remotely. Evaluation results from Summer 2020 remote classes: • 17 students provided in-take data. Out-take data in full was provided by 8 students; 5 students: partial out-take data; 4 students: no out-take data. • Preference among students for vegetables declined on average by -8 % • Students' knowledge about vegetables, cooking and eating them increased by an average of 20% • Students' self-confidence level about vegetables, about cooking them to make them tastier and about sharing their knowledge with others increased by an average of 11% Objective/Outcome 2: During the first half of the second year of funding, program activity and number of students reached was similar to year 1. 120 students at CMS received lessons. The numbers breakdown as follows: 70 students (2 classrooms, 35 students each) taught food growing, cooking and nutrition education once a week during class time; 50 additional students per week reached with lunch hour garden drop in opportunities. This changed in March 2020 when CMS switched to remote learning. Student attrition during remote learning is a challenge. Remote classroom lesson evaluation (16 intake and outtake surveys completed): • Preference to healthy food among the attendees shows an average increase of 40 %. • Starting from a base of disliking vegetables, 60 % of students now like vegetables at least "a little" or "a lot" as an average for all the three classes. • Improvement in knowledge about cooking vegetables increased significantly by 100 % • The longer a student attends Root Down LA classes, the more new things they learn Objective/Outcome 3:This outcome is planned for the year 3 when it is anticipated that students will once again be able to gather in person. Objective/Outcome 4: Cohort 2: 10 SLA Title 1 High School students recruited through online outreach for the second round of Zero Waste Culinary Training. The 13 week training took place from September-December 2019. Subject matter covered: Food preparation, food safety, zero food waste strategies, food product marketing strategies, types of value added food products. An end of year dinner celebration for key Root Down LA partners was hosted by Cohort 2 graduates, showcasing their developing culinary talents. Objective/Outcome 5: Due to LA Kitchen closure in October 2018, Root Down LA has shifted focus to hiring culinary arts graduates internally for catering and value added food product production and promotion. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and lack of current demand, this is now planned for the year 3 extension.? Objective/Outcome 7: This outcome is on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mentor network development is planned for year 3 when it is hoped that the food industry will be in post-pandemic recovery. Objective/Outcome 8:The devastation of the restaurant and catering industry during COVID-19 shutdowns has delayed graduate placement in additional professional training and employment programs. Root Down LA cultivated a relationship with the director of Hire LA., a youth employment development program of the Mayor's Office, and hopes to partner with Hire LA in the future for student placement. Goal 3: Evaluate, replicate, and share best practices of the RootDown LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline project with community health, wealth and sustainability goals in mind. Objective/Outcome 1: Evaluation results from Zero Waste Food Training the first 3 cohorts has informed curriculum refinement for future cohorts. Objective/Outcome 2:This process continues throughout all 3 years of the grant. In the second year, Root Down LA brought together potential government, private and public partners for the December 2019 end of year dinner celebration, showcasing Zero Waste Food Training student skills and talents from cohort 2 graduates. Objective/Outcome 3: Root Down LA continued to share youth generated content via Faceboook and Instagram platforms, tagging posts related to the grant with #nifaimpacts. The outreach is social media focused to reach youth. In consulation with youth participants,a blog located on the Root Down LA website was considered much less effective at reaching South LA youth. Types of content generated and shared: cooking demos, health tasting, short clips of examples from training.
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:In South Los Angeles (SLA) where RootDown LA works, there is a compelling combination of challenges and opportunities to meet the food needs of our primarily low-income residents. Where we work, health and economic disparities make it challenging for residents to thrive: 51-72% of all households (predominately Latin/African American) are at or below the 185% federal poverty level FPL; The LA County Department of Public Health reports, 37% of adults and 30% of youth here are obese and 11% of all adults in SLA have been diagnosed with diabetes - nearly double the percentage of those diagnosed in other Los Angeles Service Planning Areas (SPAs)]. In 2009, diabetes emerged in our SPA as a leading cause for death, ranked fourth below coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer - all diet related illnesses. In year 1: 50 SLA elemetary students aged 8-13 enrolled Los Angeles Police Department extracurricular program 150 Caver Middle School Students (grades 6-8). 10 SLA Title 1 High School students (can be aged 18+) Changes/Problems:Year 1 change and challenge: Project partner LA Kitchen closed in October 2018. Root Down LA is in the process of developing new relationships in place of LA Kitchen. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Zero Waste Food Training Program for high school aged students: Food preparation, food safety, zero food waste strategies, food product marketing strategies, types of value added food products. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been dissemented using hte following methods: 1. Social media posts on Facebook and Instagram sharing images and videos from Culver Middle School garden visits and the Zero Food Waste Training Program: 70 posted (linked between platforms) with average views of 50-300. Likes range in the 20-60 range on Instagram. 2. The monthly Root Down LA newsletter sent to 110 unique subscribers via email What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Root Down LA plans to continue with existing elementary, middle and high school nutrition education programs. The existing Zero Waste Food curriculum will be refined based on cohort 1 feedback evaluation results. Root Down LA will also continue to cultivate relationships with local organizations and government entities to invest in and sustain the organization through investment, fee for sevice catering, culinary job oppturnities for youth.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project Impact: RootDown LA's Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline continues to build public/private partnerships with the aim to increase the availability of healthy food in low-income communities via new entrepreneurial culinary training/catering programs for youth in South Los Angeles (SLA). These programs are the foundation for a growing standalone youth-run catering business. School-aged youth are receiving successive education, training, mentoring and ultimately jobs to help them thrive as they become key stakeholders building a new healthy food production, promotion, and distribution pipeline in the SLA community. In the first year of current funding, Root Down LA has built on its previous NIFA Community Food Project successes in training high school students to grow and distribute fresh produce in SLA. In collaboration with the Los Angeles Police Department, elementary aged students participated in enhanced weekly nutrition education and cooking classes taught by Root Down LA staff. Children enrolled in the program were taught simple healthy food preparation techniques. This knowledge improved their self-confidence in promoting healthy food consumption to other, amplifying the Root Down LA message #youregonnawannaeatyourveggies. At the Carver Middle School outdoor garden classroom, Root Down LA provided weekly basic nutrition, cooking and food growing/gleaning lessons to select classrooms. Lunch time drop in hours provided opportunities for additional students to take part in food growing and garden cultivation. Finally, the first cohort of Root Down's Zero Waste Culinary Training program received training and graduated with a 100% success rate on the ServSafe food handling exam. Year 1 Outcomes (for brevity, only outcomes releveant to year 1 are listed) Goal 1 - Improve access to healthy food by increasing the availability of locally produced healthy food for sale in South Los Angeles neighborhoods via new entrepreneurial culinary training/catering programs that become a foundation for a new youth-run SLA catering business. Objective/Outcome 1: A new culinary training program for youth, ages 15-24 exists, producing healthy value-added food items to be distributed in the SLA community. The amount of RDLA's healthy value-added food items sold in SLA will increase at least 70% over Dec. 2018 levels. The Zero Waste Culinary Training program launched with its first cohort of 10 students in February 2019 Objective/Outcome 4: Existing cross-sector relationships are strengthened/new ones formed to support new entrepreneurial activities as producer RDLA sells through at least 8 new locations. Relationships developing with SLA health clinics and schools interested in patronizing catering business. Goal 2 - Empower youth in South Los Angeles (SLA) to thrive, as they become key stakeholders, meeting the food needs of low-income individuals through a new healthy food production, promotion, and distribution pipeline in the SLA community. Objective/Outcome 1: At least 40 unique elementary age youth in RDLA/LAPD program receive enhanced weekly nutrition/cooking classes; youth show at least a 50% increase in knowledge to prepare/preferences for healthy food and in self-confidence to promote healthy food to others. In the first year, 40 unique elementary aged students were served by this program. Objective/Outcome 2: At least 300 middle school students at Carver Middle School (CMS) receive basic nutrition/cooking and food growing/gleaning lessons from RDLA/WYLD; these youth show at least a 50% increase in preferences for healthy food. During the first year of funding, 120 students at CMS received lessons. The numbers breakdown as follows: 70 students (2 classrooms, 35 students each) taught food growing, cooking and nutrition education once a week during class time; 50 additional students per week reached with lunch hour garden drop in opportunities. Classroom lessons evaluation (52 intake and outtake surveys completed): •Preference to healthy food among the attendees increased an average of 53.4 %, exceeding the 50% outcome target. •Starting from a base of disliking vegetables, 70 % of students now like vegetables at least "a little" and 38 % of students like vegetables "a lot." • Students learned that adding salt, vinegar make vegetables tasty. 44 students out of 52, or 85 %, have said "I learned that things taste better when you add (salt) (vinegar) (ingredients)" Objective/Outcome 4: Up to 20 SLA high school students/recent grads complete RDLA's culinary training program and show at least a 50% increase in knowledge about healthy food preparation, food safety, methods to reduce food waste and produce high-value food products. Cohort 1: 6 SLA Title 1 High School students recruited for inaugural Zero Waste Culinary Training through online outreach. The13 week training took place from March 2, 2019 and June 1,2019. Subject matter covered: Food preparation, food safety, zero food waste strategies, food product marketing strategies, types of value added food products. Evaluation results based on 6 completed intake and outtake surveys: Class average performance shows noticeable and significant improvement due to training. 6 students participated in the training. Analyzing on an individual student basis, it is evident that students gained knowledge on the subject matter covered and also gained confidence in sharing that knowledge with others. Training on "What is a value added food product" can be strengthened as this seems to be a new concept to most incoming students Objective/Outcome 5: At least 10 SLA high school students/recent grads complete RDLA's new culinary training program and go on to receive additional professional training or jobs via RDLA's catering program and with partners LA Kitchen [AF1] (LAK) /Tender Greens (TG) restaurant. This result is pending. LA Kitchen ceased operationing in October 2018, new partnerships are developing. Objective/Outcome 8: New non-profit and for-profit sector relationships are strengthened when LAK/TG share best practices from their operations and prioritize RDLA culinary training graduates for entry into their own professional training/employment programs. This result is pending. LA Kitchen ceased operationing in October 2018, new partnerships are developing. Goal 3: Evaluate, replicate, and share best practices of the RootDown LA Healthy Food and Youth Pipeline project with community health, wealth and sustainability goals in mind. Objective/Outcome 1: Evaluation data is used for formative assessment throughout the project. At project end summative results are used to seek additional investment to expand the project so that future for-profit RDLA catering efforts can sustain non-profit educational efforts. Evaluation results from Zero Waste Food Training cohort 1 will inform curriculum refinement for year 2 cohort. Objective/Outcome 3: An online blog and/or FB page is created to track stories and share best project practices and the culinary training curriculum with others in and outside of SLA. Root Down LA shared youth generated content via Faceboook and Instagram platforms. The outreach is social media focused to reach youth. In consulation with youth participants,a blog located on the Root Down LA website was considered much less effective at reaching South LA youth. ,Types of content generated and shared: cooking demos, health tasting, short clips of examples from training.
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