A Party and Ride/Walk Linked to Fresh Food Opportunities Just South of USC this Weekend

If you've been paying attention to our calendar, you already know that RideSouthLA and Community Services Unlimited, Inc. (CSU) are holding a Healthy Food Ride this Sunday, Sept 9. The ride/walk event is designed to take participants on a tour through the neighborhood and show them the fresh food opportunities that do exist in the area. The ride/walk meet-up site is Mercado La Paloma (3655 S Grand Ave), and the event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

What you may not know is that CSU has only recently moved its offices into Mercado La Paloma in order to be able to provide neighbors with easily accessible, fresh, and sustainable produce. The 1,300 lbs of produce they handle in any given week are grown in their own set of urban farms and sourced from local farmers. They hope that the new space will move them towards their goal of helping 1,000 local families access high-quality organic foods on a weekly basis.

On Saturday, Sept. 8, they will be celebrating this expansion of their Village Market Place program. They invite you to come by between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. for music, cooking demonstrations, and tastings. They will also have a number of products for sale, including their jams, sauces, pickles, herb-infused oils, and vinegars, and baked goods. Proceeds go toward helping pay for their move to the new space and supporting their other programs. Click here for more about CSU, their work, and their indiegogo campaign to raise funds for their move.