About Your Application

Organization(s) name(s):

SoLA Food Co-op

Organization(s) website(s):

www.solafoodcoop.com

Organization(s) twitter handle(s):

https://twitter.com/solafoodcoop

Organization(s) facebook handle(s):

https://www.facebook.com/SoLAfoodcoop

Organization(s) instagram handle(s):

https://instagram.com/solafoodcoop/

Please share the direct link for voters to sign up for your newsletter(s):

http://www.solafoodcoop.com

Describe Your Organization(s)

Non-profit organization

For-profit organization

Government

Other (please specify below):

:

SoLA is a California consumer cooperative corporation.

In one sentence, please describe what your organization does.

:

SoLA Food Co-op is working to build a full service natural foods grocery store in South Los Angeles, owned by the community.

In one to three sentences, please describe your proposal.

:

SoLA seeks to provide better access to natural, organic and non GMO foods in South LA in the form of a full service grocery cooperative. We envision our store as a place not only for shopping but for learning , in cooking and nutrition classes, and for the community to gather, share prepared foods, fresh juices, and organic coffee. We feel that in an area long overlooked, with too few grocery stores, that is a food desert, a health foods cooperative is a brilliant solution.

Where will you be working? Please be specific (e.g. Third Street Middle School; Boyle Heights; LA County).

Central LA

East LA

San Gabriel Valley

San Fernando Valley

South LA

Westside

South Bay

Antelope Valley

County of Los Angeles (countywide)

City of Los Angeles (citywide)

LAUSD

Other (please specify below):

(e.g. Third Street Middle School; Boyle Heights; LA County):

In the Leimert Park area

How do you plan to use these resources to make change? (check all that apply)

Conduct research

Engage residents and stakeholders

Implement a pilot or new project

Expand a pilot or program

Mobilize for systems change

Advocate with policymakers and leaders

Implement and track policy

Other (please specify below):

:

We will use the resources to reach more prospective members, create corporate sponsorships for needy families to become members, to work with co-op development consultants, and to retain development personnel.

How will your proposal improve the following “Live” metrics? (check all that apply)

Access to healthy food

Healthcare access

Exposure to air toxins

Number of households below the self-sufficiency index

Percent of imported water

Obesity rates

Housing affordability

Rates of homelessness

Walk/bike/transit score

Acres and miles of polluted waterways

Rates of mental illness

Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (Dream Metric)

Percentage of LA communities that are resilient (Dream Metric)

Percentage of residents receiving coordinated healthcare services (Dream Metric)

Percentage of tree canopy cover (Dream Metric)

Describe in greater detail how you will make LA the healthiest place to live.

:

There are far fewer grocery stores per person in South LA than there are in West LA. Many people here who have the means, travel outside of our area to buy organic, healthy foods. That means the area suffers from retail leakage, money leaving the community. The community drives more than it should have to, to reach healthy food stores, increasing our carbon footprint. Some of our supporters travel by bus, taking as many as six buses to shop at Whole Foods.
The South LA community deserves the same options in healthy eating as other parts of the city.
SoLA raises awareness in the South LA community around healthy eating practices. It is our practice to teach ways of addressing the diet related illnesses our community is plagued with, through fun events,nutrition classes, and workshops.
SoLA will bring a strong sense of pride of ownership to our neighborhood and our member/owners. There has never been a beautiful full service health food store of the type we envision in this part of LA.
As a cooperative, SoLA's profits will be distributed among it's members, further enriching this community.
Instead of a food desert, SoLA will create an oasis, an oasis of accessibility, inclusion, self-sufficiency, health, nutritional education and economic empowerment.

Please explain how you will evaluate your work.

:

We'll evaluate our work through new memberships attained, growing our community of supporters, and by being closer to our goal of opening a food co-op. Additionally, we will track awareness of our project in the community through actions outlined in our business plan: surveys conducted at community workshops, follow-ups to our feasibility study(surveys), implementing a successful crowdfunding campaign, and engaging Cooperative Development Services.
There will be evidence of our growth through hiring a qualified Bookkeeper and Project Manager to implement our growth strategy. With this personnel in place we will grow and achieve our goals sooner

How can the LA2050 community and other stakeholders help your proposal succeed? (check all that apply)

Money (financial capital)

Volunteers/staff (human capital)

Publicity/awareness (social capital)

Infrastructure (building/space/vehicles, etc.)

Education/training

Technical infrastructure (computers, etc.)

Community outreach

Network/relationship support

Quality improvement research

Other (please specify below):

Discussion

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