Community Services Unlimited, Inc.
Based in Los Angeles, Community Services Unlimited, Inc. (CSU) is using HFFI financing to support its Community Food Village Project, Growing Healthy program, and From The Ground Up! program. The Village Market Place program sells and distributes fresh produce from CSU's urban mini-farms and local farmers, increasing access to healthy foods in the community while creating meaningful jobs for youth and adults. Growing Healthy engages youth in urban farming and food-based learning as a tool to help them adopt a healthier lifestyle and develop an awareness and political consciousness to the food access and environmental justice issues impacting their communities. From The Ground Up! is an apprenticeship program that offers at-risk youth training and mentorship in farming, gardening, and entrepreneurial skills. You can find out more information here.
Source of money: HFFI CED Program
The East Los Angeles Community Union
The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU) is supporting a low-interest loan for Titan Foods, Inc. to improve access to affordable and healthy foods in Commerce City, a section of East Los Angeles that is underserved by grocery retail. Commerce City has more than double the national unemployment rate and this project will create 33 new, permanent, full-time jobs, the majority of which will be filled by low-income individuals, including CalWORKS/TANF recipients, non-custodial parents, and at-risk youth. The project will substantially improve the community's access and consumption of healthy foods, while improving the local economy. You can find more information here.
Source of money: HFFI CED Program
Mandela MarketPlace, Inc.
Based in Oakland, California, Mandela MarketPlace Inc. (MMPlace) is using HFFI financing to support a revolving loan fund for business expansion. The two initial businesses to receive loans are Mandela Food Cooperative and Earth's Produce Distribution. Mandela Food Cooperative will use the loan to increase sales of healthy foods by 50% to $1.5 million annually. Earth's Produce Distribution will use the loan to increase delivery and consumption of fresh produce by 800,000 pounds annually. This project will create 20 new, permanent, full-time jobs in the grocery retail and produce distribution industries. You can find more information here.
Source of money: HFFI CED Program
Capital Impact Partners
Capital Impact Partners, formerly known as NCB Capital Impact, is using HFFI financing to support the California FreshWorks Fund, a healthy food financing program that supports healthy food retail outlets in underserved communities throughout the state of California, including underserved areas in San Diego, Inglewood, Pismo Beach, and South Los Angeles. You can find more information about Capital Impact Partners here and about California FreshWorks and other projects funded through California FreshWorks here.
Source of money: HFFI CDFI-Financial Assistance Program
Note: Capital Impact Partners is a CDFI headquartered in Virginia, but Capital Impact Partners is working in California and Michigan.
Nonprofit Finance Fund
The Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) uses HFFI financing to offer healthy food retail outlets coupled with education and outreach programs that promote food purchasing behavior change in low-income communities. Some funds from this award will be used to support the creation of City Slicker Farms' $800,000 dollar project in West Oakland, California. This project is an urban farm and park. You can find more information about Nonprofit Finance Fund here and about City Slicker Farms here.
Source of money: HFFI CDFI-Financial Assistance Program
Note: The Nonprofit Finance Fund is a CDFI headquartered in New York, but the Nonprofit Finance Fund is also working in California and Pennsylvania.
Stanislaus Economic Development and Workforce Alliance
In 2013, Stanislaus Economic Development and Workforce Alliance (The Alliance) received $800,000 dollars from the HFFI HHS program to develop the Turlock Supermarket Project through a public-private partnership with NUCP Turlock, LLC and Mi Pueblos Supermarket. The supermarket will be located in California's Central Valley, an area that produces half the fresh foods and vegetables in the U.S. but leaves many local, low-income residents without access to healthy, fresh food. This project will also create 40 jobs for residents from Turlock and surrounding areas. You can find more information here.
Source of money: HFFI CED Program