The Mo’ Better Food Program has the major function of rebuilding the Food System within any community.
What do we mean by food system?
1. FOLLOW THE SEED TO THE PLATE
The food system begins with organic seeds being planted in healthy soil to grow healthy food. This healthy food is harvested, distributed, marketed, sold and reinvested back into the above.
Where we are: We do not have organic seeds for sell as of yet
2. DISTRIBUTE HEALTHY FOOD
In 1998, Mo’ Better Food Market (Farmers Market) has worked directly with the African American Farmers of California to reconnect their produce to the Bay Area.
OBJECTIVE 1: CREATE MARKETS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
Method 1: DEVELOP FARMERS MARKETS
WHERE WE ARE: the Mo’ Better Food Market started at McClymonds High School in 1997 -2000. David Roach, The Founder of Mo’ Better Food, was the director of the Business Academy at McClymonds in High School. His business students ran the Farmers Market as a Student Run Enterprise. In addition to managing the farmers market, the students learned how to manage the website-mobetterfood.com, microsoft office (excel, word, powerpoint), food policy and food insecurity.
They utilized the high school, McClymonds High School, as a location for a farmers market that sold fresh produce grown by the African American farmers of California without funding for three years.
“Our vision was to become a model for other schools to start with a farmers market to develop a relationship with their farmers to become a grocery store run by students/ alumni of the high school in their community,” says’ David Roach, Founder and Director of Mo’ Better Food ( A Program of the Familyhood Connection Inc.
Through the support of the United States Department of Agriculture, Today’s, Mandela Food’s Cooperative is open for business in West Oakland. The West Oakland Food Collaborative was granted a three year grant of $280,000 to expand upon the Mo’ Better Food Market which had operated at McClymonds High School to plan a cooperative grocery in West Oakland.
OBJECTIVE 2 – PRESERVE AND PROMOTE AFRICAN – AMERICAN FARMERS
Since the Mo’ Better Food Conference in 1996, we have been working with the African American Farmers of California to create markets for their produce in the Bay Area. Click here to see the latest produce list from the African American farmers of California.
OBJECTIVE 3 – “THE TOOL KIT OF ACTIVITIES”
Community residents ( including students form the high school) manage and operate farmers market/grocery store and school gardens on and off campus.
PROVIDE JOBS, JOB TRAINING, INTERNSHIPS
INCREASE COMMERCE AND TRADE THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY BEGIN WM
OBJECTIVE 4 – BUILD HEALTHY ECONOMICS
By rebuilding the Food System we will create internships, jobs, and the ability for the community to FEED ITSELF.
This is what we call Healthy Economics!
