Valentine’s Day Bake Sale for Food Security

Last winter we had a group of young children come to talk to us about the CSA model and get a tour. They spent the fall semester focusing on food security and learned about food deserts, the effects of climate change on farming, global hunger, and the lack of enough healthy food here in Southern Arizona. They also learned about what various organizations are doing to help in an effort to figure out how they could help too. Their final conclusion was that the way they could help most was to help the groups that are already set-up and doing good work.

Since they are too young to volunteer they are holding bake sales to raise money and also to raise awareness of their favorite four groups. They will be at the CSA this Tuesday from 4:00 to 6:00 selling baked goods and telling people about the groups that they picked and asking people to vote where they should donate the money they raise. Whichever group gets the most votes will get the whole donation, but they are hoping that they can encourage people to help all the organizations while they are at it.

If you have a chance, stop by their table to buy some Valentine’s Day baked goods and talk with them about their favorite food justice organizations. They’ve compiled this list for members who are interested in learning more:

Southern Arizona Food Bank

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona needs all hands on deck, aka more volunteers and money. They are helping thousands of families in Arizona! One out of every 5 adults and 1 out of every 4 kids have food insecurity in Southern Arizona. Food insecurity is when they don’t have enough healthy food to eat.

More information is available on their website:
https://www.communityfoodbank.org

Flowers and Bullets

A Food Desert is when there is an area where all the grocery stores with healthy foods are too far away and people need a vehicle like a car or truck to get to healthy food. Flowers and Bullets helps people start gardens in food deserts so that more people have accessible HEALTHY food. They also help teach people how to make art. They are here in Tucson!

More information is available on their website:
https://www.flowersandbullets.com

Native Seed Search

Native Seed Search is a seed bank in Tucson. They help keep seeds available for planting that grow well in the hotter, drier climates that are coming. They also help keep millions of seeds from dying.
More information is available on their website:
https://www.nativeseeds.org

World Food Program

In other countries people are starving to death! Places like West Africa and Ukraine really need help getting food. The World Food Program buys food from small farmers to give to people who are are running out or can’t get food at all. They also help small farmers protect farms and homes from natural disasters like fires, floods, and tsunamis.
More information is available on their website: https://www.wfp.org