Farm-to-Phone App Launches New Initiative to Help Los Angeles Residents Facing Food Insecurity
LOS ANGELES, March 10, 2021 (Newswire.com) - It is estimated more than 17 million people in the U.S. have experienced food insecurity as a result of the pandemic. In Los Angeles alone, 1 in 4 residents have battled food insecurity since the COVID-19 crisis. In an effort to help, CropSwap, a farm-to-phone app empowering local farmers and growers with the tools to feed their communities while creating profitable, sustainable businesses, has launched a new initiative that will help provide fresh organic foods to some of Los Angeles' most vulnerable communities.
In partnership with Nourish LA, a local organization focused on feeding nutritious foods to under-resourced Los Angeles communities, CropSwap has created a new in-app function that will allow users to donate a seasonal Harvest Box from Sow a Heart Farm, a regenerative farm in Fillmore, California, containing 40lbs of organic, locally grown produce (enough to sustain a family for a week) for $50.
"Part of our vision in creating CropSwap was to radically reform our food system and address food insecurity in our local community," says Rob Reiner, CEO of CropSwap. "During these difficult times, we aim to make fresh, locally grown produce more accessible to all communities in Los Angeles - and our partnership with Nourish LA is making this vision a reality."
Local gardener, advocate, and urban farmer Natalie Flores founded Nourish LA last year after seeing the growing need for access to fresh, nutritious foods once the pandemic began. Through food donation partners that have included local farms, community trees, supermarkets, and now CropSwap, Nourish LA has managed to give an estimated 32,000 bags of food to people in need, while also diverting over 1.3 million pounds in food waste.
"We especially admire Nourish LA's focus on providing healthy, real food," says Reiner. "Coincidentally, we work with some really great organic farmers who were happy to contribute through our app."
"Nourish thy neighbor - look after each other - we've created an entire community about taking care of one another and if that's not a beautiful thing, I don't know what is," says Flores.
To learn more or to donate a Harvest Box to Nourish LA now, please visit www.cropswap.com. CropSwap is free to download in the App Store and Google Play.
Media Contact: jessica@tylerbarnettpr.com
Source: CropSwap
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