Affiliations
Center for Wellness and Nutrition
As of Summer 2022, Roots of Change is an affiliate program of Center for Wellness and Nutrition (both programs of the Public Health Institute). This strategic relationship will leverage the strength of our joint expertise to expand services, advocacy and program implementation related to food system resilience to climate change, healthy agriculture, and nutrition security, as well as, nutrition education, prevention of dietary related illnesses, and equitable access to tools for achieving wellness.
Our combined knowledge pool, connections and outreach position us well to accelerate transformation in the food system by taking on additional projects, particularly around Food as Medicine and Produce Prescriptions.
The Center for Wellness and Nutrition (CWN) is a national leader in developing campaigns, programs, and partnerships to promote wellness and equitable practices in the most vulnerable communities in California and across the country.
Based in Sacramento, California, CWN advocates for holistic wellness policies that reduce disparities and promote equity, and considers cultural and traditional preferences in food and nutrition education. CWN works to advance nutrition, physical activity, and health policy in schools, early childcare, grocery stores, farmers markets, and other community settings to prevent obesity and diet-related chronic illnesses. CWN has a proven record of implementing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) in partnership with statewide and national organizations to increase the appeal, purchase, and consumption of healthy foods through nutrition education among low-income communities, including those in Tribal Nations..
CWN is also strongly focused on advancing nutrition security, conducting research and evaluations, building capacity through training and technical assistance, supporting participatory community engagement , and expanding the use of the various USDA food and nutrition assistance programs to increase healthy food access across the lifespan and improve quality of life.
Food & Farm Resilience Coalition
ROC and its AB 125 coalition partners support state investments in a resilient and equitable food and farming system. Our coalition sponsors the bill introduced in February 2021 by Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D – Hollister). The bond measure would provide key investments in disadvantaged communities, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, tribes, small- and medium-sized farms and small businesses. Given the state’s budget surpluses, the bond has been delayed and the coalition has supported Mr. Rivas in seeking budget requests. In the current budget our requests brought $1.3 billion to the goals we seek. Our coalition is currently working on the requests for the 2022-23 budget. Our sign-on letter is asking for $667.5 million in FY 2022-23 investments. The full text of the sign-on letter can be found here. We are calling on the legislature to invest in programs such as:
- Farmland conservation
- Farmworker housing and home weatherization
- Heat and smoke notifications for farmworkers
- Regional farmer training centers and land access grants for new farmers
- Agricultural workforce development and technical assistance grants
- Climate smart agriculture
- Climate-friendly healthy food access
- Farm-to-school
Boards & Committees
Founded by writer and small farmer Dan Imhoff, the Wild Farm Alliance is working to help farmers and ranchers bring wild nature back onto the agricultural lands to increase biodiversity, which means farm resilience. There are some exciting “Play Big” ideas emerging from this farm-centered organization. Think “hedgerows to the moon and back” or a million bird boxes from Baja to British Columbia and you’ll get the idea.