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"Food, What?!"

Organization Mission

“Food, What?!” is a youth empowerment and food justice organization. At FoodWhat, youth engage in relationships with land, food and each other in ways that are grounded in love and rooted in justice. We provide meaningful space where youth define and cultivate their empowerment, liberation and well-being.

The Big Idea 2024:
Fresh Produce Farm Stand at PVUSD’s Wellness Center

In an effort to address food insecurity in schools, FoodWhat has partnered with PVUSD to run an affordable farm stand at the school district’s Family Engagement and Wellness Center. The farm stand will distribute over 2,000 pounds of fresh, organic food that FoodWhat youth helped to grow for PVUSD students and their families. This project is designed to lift up youth as leaders who cultivate skills, knowledge, and power and use them to create a healthy food access point that is by, for, and of their own community.

We seek to partner with youth who suffer disproportionately from common problems associated with marginalization: racism, classism, poverty, educational barriers, extractive economics, trauma, housing/food insecurity and compromised health. We have a rigorous method of ascertaining youth need; and the resulting benefits of our program with surveys, interviews, oral evaluations, and staff observation.

On our two abundant farms in Watsonville and Santa Cruz, youth work together to grow carrots, broccoli, chard, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and more.

My favorite part of FoodWhat was all the new experiences, getting out of my comfort zone, talking to different people, the connections and learning how to be independent...And I learned how to work with the crew to be helpful — I got that from FoodWhat and placed it into my home life, where I now help my mom without her asking me to do it.


Rubi, Pajaro Valley, 19