OCEANSIDE, CA — North River Farms partnered with the Ecology Center to provide produce for 100 local families. The produce and fresh meal kits were distributed in a special nutrition event Friday, May 22 at the Villa Storia inclusionary housing community in Oceanside. The food was provided by North River Farms as part of its efforts to provide ongoing support for the community through access to healthy, locally grown food. Many San Diego County residents face new challenges in obtaining fresh food because of job losses and income reductions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by disruption to the nation’s food supply, all of which has led to food shortages for those who need it most.
The North River Farms team members provided the fresh produce and food packets, along with boxes of face masks, to families and seniors living in affordable housing, as well as Chicano Federation-affiliated daycare providers serving low-income families in Oceanside. The produce was grown locally by The Ecology Center.
“The pandemic has amplified our community’s concern for putting food on the table. We saw this distribution as a way to reach out to our neighbors and connect them with fresh, local produce.” said Lance Waite, Principal with Encinitas-based Integral Communities, the developer of NorthRiver Farms. “Our hearts go out to families and seniors who are hungry or food insecure right now and we felt compelled to act. Through our partnership with The Ecology Center, we saw an opportunity to share its farm produce to help out our community in this time of crisis.”
Villa Storia, an affordable apartment community in Oceanside, was built by the Integral and Chelsea Investment team behind North River Farms and is the city’s first inclusionary community.
Elizabeth Mora was among the residents who received the produce and meal kits. She said that she, her husband and their two daughters faced a steep rent increase at their previous apartment, and felt lucky when they found Villa Storia. “It’s given a lot of help to people who have low incomes,” she said.
“We have a home where we live, and many people don’t have that. We can stop worrying. I want to thank you very much; when you built (Villa Storia), it helped us.”
