Over the course of the summer, I embarked on a journey through a retreat program to explore homelessness in LA and its connection to the food crisis. To clarify, the term "food crisis" simply means that there is a lack of affordability for healthy and nutritious food choices. Many low income families and people in both temprory and chronic states of homelessness cannot afford healthy food.
Throughout this experience, I gained firsthand perspectives from homeless people about their personal journeys to their short comings and triumphs as people. While working at Midnight Mission, a large homeless shelter in Skid Row, I saw compassion and generosity in many forms. While serving those who were physically disabled or too tired to stand in the line, I had to cut into the long line multiple times to make food trays. Each time I asked to step in, the person who had been waiting in the line was generous enough to let me go. I was utterly touched from this experience. While working there, however, our retreat group noticed that the food provided was made up almost entirely of carbs and meat. Very little produce was present. As an estabilshment that survives from food and volunteer donations, it makes sense that there would be cheap foods availible. However, that is a problem that should ultimately be addressed.
While visiting several farms, we were taught about old farming techniques that cultivated strong crops and a wide variety of foods. However, the modern farming methods have disrupted the more natural and effective ways to produce heatlhy foods. It is my goal to explore more about farming methods that took place hundreds of years ago to fully understand how the food distribution crisis in LA, and around the world, can be addressed.
Throughout this experience, I gained firsthand perspectives from homeless people about their personal journeys to their short comings and triumphs as people. While working at Midnight Mission, a large homeless shelter in Skid Row, I saw compassion and generosity in many forms. While serving those who were physically disabled or too tired to stand in the line, I had to cut into the long line multiple times to make food trays. Each time I asked to step in, the person who had been waiting in the line was generous enough to let me go. I was utterly touched from this experience. While working there, however, our retreat group noticed that the food provided was made up almost entirely of carbs and meat. Very little produce was present. As an estabilshment that survives from food and volunteer donations, it makes sense that there would be cheap foods availible. However, that is a problem that should ultimately be addressed.
While visiting several farms, we were taught about old farming techniques that cultivated strong crops and a wide variety of foods. However, the modern farming methods have disrupted the more natural and effective ways to produce heatlhy foods. It is my goal to explore more about farming methods that took place hundreds of years ago to fully understand how the food distribution crisis in LA, and around the world, can be addressed.