grow the programs

Cultivating community-powered business programs locally rooted and built to last.

powering
an economy

East San José faces fundamental barriers to adequate nutrition access, economic opportunity, and community wealth. Farmers struggle to earn a living wage, and food businesses are locked out of local markets dominated by large-scale extractive systems.

A person operating a red tractor in a vegetable garden with organized rows of leafy greens, surrounded by trees, houses, and a cloudy sky. 
The Challenge

Historic exclusionary disinvestment in East San José has created the conditions that keep our residents at a higher rate of chronic stress.

Our Belief

When communities decide how food is grown, shared, and sold, it becomes a pathway to self-determination. We believe in empowering a food system where our families are nourished, the livelihoods of our small farmers and food workers thrive, and our resources circulate locally.

keeping
it all local

Rooted in our region’s farmworker legacy, we connect families, farmers, entrepreneurs and institutions to build a local food economy and hub that works for everyone.

Fresh vegetables including green onions, broccoli, and yellow peppers displayed in a market or grocery store.
VISIT THE FARM STAND

our initiatives

access

We grow spaces for communities to connect through food justice, shared learning, and community empowerment. Families grow, harvest, cook, and share food at Veggielution, reestablishing their nourishment, and relation to one another. 

livelihoods

Local and BIPOC farmers receive aggregation support and expanded market access; helping keep local food viable. We turn family recipes and farming knowledge into shared wealth through our training programs, food entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses,

We develop local food infrastructure, market channels, and procurement pathways to connect small producers with institutional buyers.

cultivating with
intention

Veggielution has become a trusted neighborhood anchor and regional food systems leader; demonstrating what's possible when food systems are designed by, with, and for their community.

our impact

    • With 1,250+ volunteers maintaining our fields and packing our farm boxes, we have served over 1000 residents

    • Our CALM (Campo a la Mesa) program serves 100-170 families weekly through farm boxes and our onsite Farm Stand.

    • With produce from local BIPOC farms, we have distributed 13,500+ free CSA boxes to families as part of our Del Campo a la Mesa program

    • Launching an Affordable Business Campaign to lower food business permit costs with 50 entrepreneurs

    • Reinvesting $850,000
to sixteen farms

    • Running our Cooperative Program, built to create worker-owned LLCs, with 12 trainings on business, finance, and catering with 10 recent graduates

    • Supporting our Graduated Entrepreneurs with ongoing assistance to grow their business