Cal Neighbors

Cal Neighbors Masthead

A Newsletter for the Neighbors of the University of California, Berkeley

Fall 2004

	Chancellor relishes Berkeley, keeps an ear tuned to advice
	Collaborating on community
	Review of campus LRDP postponed
	A whole lot to say, and just the place to say it
	Campus employees get on the bus
	Under Construction
	Community Bulletin Board
	Cal's sports wow fans, with more to come
	Upcoming Events on Campus

Collaborating on community

Whether restoring marshland or bridging the digital divide, the campus and its East Bay partners work closely together

by Wendy Edelstein

Chancellor Robert Birgeneau

Assemblymember Loni Hancock (left) talks with Farm Fresh Choice participants Karina Serna, Gerardo Jasso, and Martin Bourque, executive director of the Ecology Center

A taste of quality produce for local neighborhoods

Households, community events, and afterschool programs in lower-income neighborhoods of Berkeley and Oakland are seeing more fresh, locally grown produce — and eating healthier as a result — thanks to Farm Fresh Choice (FFC).

In 2000, the Food Policy Council, a community-based food-advocacy group, started FFC to improve access to fresh produce for lower-income residents, and Berkeley’s Ecology Center took over the program two years later.

Rather than simply preaching the gospel of fruits and vegetables, the program employs weekly “mini”-farmers’ markets, food tastings, recipes from many cultures at community venues, and biannual cooking demonstrations at after-school centers. FFC also connects farmers of color with urban Latino and African American communities to increase consumers’ commitment to buying and eating healthy foods.

“Our strategy is to use food itself as an outreach tool,” says Karina Serna, an Ecology Center staff member who coordinates Farm Fresh Choice. “When we want to send people a message, we do so by setting up a produce stand.” That message has been received loud and clear by FFC’s 350 member-households, who purchase locally grown, primarily organic produce through the program weekly.

In 2002, FFC began working with UC Berkeley’s Center for Weight and Health (part of the College of Natural Resources) and the School of Public Health’s Center for Family and Commun-ity Health. The campus has provided expertise in program evaluation, design, and implementation, and the collaboration has helped academic units “bridge the gap between researchers and people on the front lines who are working with populations in need,” according to Lorrene Ritchie of the Center for Weight and Health.

With grant-writing assistance from the university, the Ecology Center recently received a three-year, $185,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Food Project to help expand FFC’s outreach and to evaluate its impact on those it serves. “Partnering with the university has given us more credibility with the USDA, enabling us to get funding,” says Martin Bourque, director of the Ecology Center.

Serna recently took four FFC families to visit three of the program’s organic farms, one owned by a Mexican family who once worked as farm laborers. “The children and parents [from FFC] helped harvest and learned about planting,” says Serna. “They were so engaged that we ended up staying way longer than we’d planned.”

Six unique collaborations have been recognized for bringing the university and community together to benefit local residents. A reception on Oct. 25 honored outstanding University/Community Partnerships, celebrating the achievements of the groups.

Hosted by Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and his wife, Mary Catherine, the fifth annual event recognized programs that promote access to higher education, the application of technology to education and literacy, public health, nutrition, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship.

The 2004 projects recognized were:

César Chávez Educational Center College-Going Project: In 2003, the Fruitvale community in East Oakland realized a longtime dream when this center, a complex that houses two elementary schools, opened its doors. UC Berkeley’s Center for Educa-tional Outreach, the Graduate School of Edu-cation, Cal Corps Public Service Center, and six community groups have collaborated over the past three years to increase student achieve-ment and encourage enrollment in college.

Digital Underground Storytelling for Youth (DUSTY): This cutting-edge after-school curriculum develops literacy while building multimedia skills, helping low-income Oakland youth cross the digital divide. Sponsored by Professor Glynda Hull of the Graduate School of Education, DUSTY partners include the Prescott Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, the Allen Temple Baptist Church, Castlemont High School, and Cole Elementary School.

Family Health/Salud Familiar: Established in 1997, Family Health improves health education in low-income urban communities in the East Bay with a program that involves students, their parents, and the community. The Lawrence Hall of Science and the School of Public Health’s Center for Community Wellness have collaborated with La Famila Counseling and Referral Service and the Hayward and Oakland school districts to offer learners of all ages hands-on health-science activities related to food and nutrition, respiratory and heart health, and disease prevention.

Lower San Antonio Collaborative: The Community Partnerships Office of UC Berkeley’s Institute of Urban and Regional Development and the Annie E. Casey Foundation have worked with East Oakland community organizations to identify potential sites for affordable housing, develop an understanding of the community’s needs, and attract potential housing developers. To date, six sites are being pursued for 90 to 120 housing units that will have access to such ground-floor services as a library, childcare, and health counseling.

Farm Fresh Choice: Launched in 2000 by the Food Policy Council and run for the past two years by Berkeley’s Ecology Center, this program improves access to fresh produce for families living in lower-income neighborhoods of Berkeley and Oakland. The group has partnered with UC Berkeley’s Center for Weight and Health and Center for Family and Community Health to bring healthy food choices to local residents. (See story below.)

Richmond Field Station — Stege Marsh Restoration Community Stewardship Program: This innovative project engages students and environmental and educational community groups in discovery and restoration of the ecosystem at Stege Marsh, a tidal marsh located between Point Isabel and the Richmond Marina at the campus’s Richmond Field Station. The Richmond-based Watershed Project works with UC Berkeley’s Environment, Health and Safety; Facilities Services; and the Environmental Sciences Teaching Program.

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