Theme: community partners

As the season of autumn abundance is upon us, I am checking in from the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic (CMC), where I have the privilege of working as a volunteer, providing free holistic and integrative healthcare to underserved women who are living with cancer. For the past 25 years, CMC has offered a wide range of holistic services to women who could not otherwise afford them: therapeutic massage and other kinds of bodywork, acupuncture, Chinese and western herbal medicine, exercise classes, as well as referrals to medical and social services. For many of those 25 years, the Full Belly Farm community has delivered produce boxes to CMC though the Farm Box Donation Program.

Women whose lives are often complicated, hectic, and difficult enter a serene healing space that is entirely dedicated to their own health and healing when they arrive at the Clinic. They are greeted by caring, compassionate staff and hot herbal tea.  And the first thing they see when they walk in, is a beautiful display of Full Belly fruits and vegetables, free for the taking. They are always taken – by the end of each shift, the fruits and veggies are gone. [Read more…]

Since 1992, Full Belly members and Clinic volunteers have supported delivery of 5 CSA boxes per week to clients of the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic in Oakland.  You can be a part of this program by letting us know that you want to donate one or more of your CSA boxes (for example when you are going out of town) or by making a direct contribution.  We currently have boxes scheduled through the end of 2015, but there are not sufficient funds to continue beyond that point.  A letter from one of the Charlotte Maxwell volunteers follows.

We want to express heartfelt gratitude from the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic to Full Belly CSA members.

The Charlotte Maxwell Clinic (CMC) provides free integrative care to low-income women with cancer. As a CMC volunteer and long-time Full Belly Farm CSA member, I am delighted to know that the women who come to CMC in Oakland can get the same life-sustaining produce that I am fortunate enough to receive every week in my own box from FBF.  [Read more…]

February 2, 2015

We recently enjoyed a visit from Bill Jensen who works at Northside Elementary School in Cool California (a bit east of Auburn). He came to pick up vegetables for the Harvest of the Month program, a statewide effort to increase access to fruits and vegetables in schools throughout California.  Bill explained that the school’s garden doesn’t come into production until March and he needed some broccoli to serve.  The students will develop presentations for the classroom and prepare a recipe to take home.

In Bill’s photo, kindergarten students are harvesting their first crop of carrots.

Really Fun Fundraiser for a GREAT Organization!

When I show visitors around Full Belly Farm, they sometimes ask me about the sign that we have at the top of the road, with the logo, “Grown in the Beautiful Capay Valley.”  In answer to their question, I always tell them the following cautionary tale: “There was once a very beautiful place known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight. This Valley included the largest fruit production and packing region in the world, with 39 canneries and beautiful stone fruit trees flowering every spring. As California became more and more urbanized, the name of that Valley was changed. Do you know what the new name is…? Silicon Valley. 

We hope that our local efforts, represented by the sign at the top of the road, to promote the Capay Valley, will protect agriculture here, so that we don’t suffer the same fate as the Valley of Heart’s Delight.” [Read more…]

Letter of Appreciation from the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic 

Below is a letter from the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic, who we have been working with for several years, providing produce to low-income women who are undergoing cancer treatment. This program is completely run by volunteers. At some of our CSA sites, if a box is not picked up or if you call in in advance to cancel your box, that box is then picked up and taken to the clinic. We love offering this service to the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic, and they love receiving the produce. Thanks so much to those of you who choose to donate your boxes! 

— Jenna Muller