Helping people help themselves

Maybe its the new year or maybe its my turning the wise, old age of 24...either way my (unhealthy and kinda obsessive) reality show habit has slowly been replaced by reading in the evenings.  Currently by my bedside table is "Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child" (thanks Mom!), "The Art of Simple Food" by Alice Waters, "Edible Schoolyard" by Alice Waters, and "Food, Inc." by a collection of industry experts.

Obviously I'm obsessed with the whole slow and sustainable food thing and the problems with the American food industry.  And clearly I'm not alone.  It seems like so many things and people in my life right now are passionate about the same cause.  My friend Libby (Berkeley grad, hippie, smarty pants) is moving to Houston to use her fluency in Spanish and her background in Public Health to teach nutrition to low income areas.  Another friend, Erica, who is in the Peace Corps in Honduras is trying to start a vegetable garden for her community so they don't have to make the 2 hour trip to get fresh veggies.  More and more families are growing their own vegetables in their backyard to feed their own families.  All so inspiring and an exciting change to our country's current desire for quick, processed foods.

In our newspaper the other day their was an article about La Mesa Verde, a non-profit that teaches inner city families how to grow their own vegetables in their tiny backyards.  As I looked more into it I saw that their were multiple organizations doing this in the Bay Area- both for low income communities and schools.  Teaching people and school children about nutrition, while making healthy, organic food available inexpensively from their own backyards and schoolyards.  Instead of making people stand in line for food stamps so they can go get the cheap processed junk at the crappy markets by their houses they can have access to the same quality veggies that were previously only affordable by the middle/upper class.  They are taught how to prepare these vegetables into yummy and filling meals.  Sustainable food that keeps coming back that families and children grow themselves for themselves.  HELPING PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES.  Not just giving someone a handout and sending them on their way to be in the same predicament in a week.   Is this the answer to our food crisis?  I think its a great start.