Roots of Change
Roots of Change (ROC) is a think tank-and-do tank working to ensure emergence of a sustainable food system in California. ROC provides road maps to food movement power and policy victories. ROC has a clear change strategy, an extensive statewide network of change agents and a track record of spawning and leading projects that are transformative because they unify actors to push for progress using multiple intervention points simultaneously. ROC is focused primarily on California because it is a bellwether that can positively influence the nation.
Our Impact
See all Roots of Change Impacts
- $22M worth of food cash cards distributed in under two months
- 200K boxes of food delivered to homes
- 100K Los Angeles community members received food benefits
Projects
Active Projects
- Resilient Food System Infrastructure Program
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Working with CA Dept. of Food & Agriculture, over 20 community-based organizations and numerous food producers from across the state, ROC will facilitate a stakeholder-informed vision and plan for improving the infrastructures of small and mid-scale food producers in the California. The engagement process will allow ROC to craft a plan for the state's agencies related to agriculture, resources, nutrition and economic development. The key goals are to increase economic opportunity, improve access to local healthy food for low-income families and build food system resilience for communities. We will deliver maps of existing and planned infrastructure and identify gaps. We will also map the stakeholders and their respective food system plans, capacities and modes of operation to identify synergies among regions that will be helpful in achieving the plan by 2040. Project partners include UC Davis Institute of the Environment and Council of Development Finance Agencies.
Completed Projects
- Food Movement Power in California as a Catalyst for Food Movement Success Nationally
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To continue accelerating policy change momentum in California and model an approach to food movement victory for the nation, Roots of Change will catalyze, coordinate and support action by the networks of allies it has cultivated over ten years, with the emphasis on advising and coordinating.
- Creating High Value Market Opportunities for California’s Small- and Mid-Scale Meat Producers
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Based on the need to capture more carbon in the soil to address the climate crisis as well as healthcare provider and consumer demand for healthier grassfed meats, Roots of Change and UC Davis are collaborating to develop supply chains to meet growing demand. The project team has engaged 200 livestock producers and processors to create a framework that will supply the University of California 10 campuses and five medical systems with healthier climate-smart meats. Following this first phase dedicated to UC, the team will work expand the supply to serve all hospital systems and additional colleges and universities across the state as well as butcher shops and restaurants with the aim of maximizing the number of California livestock producers working to solve our public health, ecological and climate challenges.
Flipping the Table, a podcast hosted by PHI’s Michael Dimock, presents dynamic and enlightening conversations with people who are flipping the table to create new ways to feed the world. Find all episodes.
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