HISTORY
OUR
ALMA Backyard Farms was inspired by the voices and ideas shared by juvenile offenders and prisoners eager to transform their lives and communities by "giving back" to the communities they "took from" and were taken away from. For most people experiencing incarceration, there are few opportunities to see and interact with nature and few opportunities to provide nurture to others. Yet few are given the opportunities to learn skills and make that possible.
ALMA has listened to the formerly incarcerated and been inspired by their willingness to reorient their lives as caretakers of community. Recognizing that Los Angeles is a place where no life or space is wasted, ALMA creates multiple opportunities for women and men who were incarcerated to give back to the health and safety of communities by growing food in and for these communities.
Rooted in restorative justice and environmental stewardship, ALMA started in 2013 to implement this project of reclaiming lives, repurposing land and reimagining community. ALMA proposes real solutions to the challenges of California's overcrowded prisons and food injustice in low-income neighborhoods. Recognizing that no lives or land is to be wasted, ALMA creates opportunities for the previously incarcerated to become agents of health, safety and community.
2013
Founding of organization & East LA Backyard farm
ALMA Backyard Farms was co-founded by Los Angeles natives Erika L. Cuellar and Richard D. Garcia as a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to Re-claim Lives, Re-purpose Land, and Re-imagine Community. Alma Avenue in East Los Angeles is where the first backyard farm was established with raised beds and fruit trees.
2015
Breaking ground in South LA and launching Urban Ag Job Training Program
Recognizing the need for families to reconnect after justice system involvement and having found that growing, preparing and sharing fresh food is a generative way to do this, ALMA established a backyard farm on the property of a Reentry Home in South LA. Here, ALMA launched its Urban Agriculture Job Training Program with persons facing the challenges of reentry. The farm was a transitional space offering dignifying, paid opportunities for a vulnerable population to build career and social skills.
2016
Breaking ground in Compton
Responding to the growing demand for food security and facing high recidivism rates, ALMA explored neighborhoods historically challenged by lack of healthy, nutritious and organic food options as well as areas home to a disproportionate number of parolees. ALMA established a lease agreement in the backyard of a church and school and scaled farming operations to 1.5 acres. Along with the increase in land came an increase in job trainees.
2017
Launching of Youth Education Programs
With the intention of re-connecting children to their food and to nature, ALMA started Youth Education Programs for school-age children with a large emphasis on nutrition and cooking lessons with whole foods. The farm in Compton provided a hands-on, outdoor classroom.
2018
Launching of Farm Stand in Compton
At ALMA, we believe that every seed sown is a seed shared. With two foldable canopies and two 6ft tables, ALMA launched its Farm Stand providing community members with a selection of its produce. In both Compton and San Pedro, the demand for distribution through regular Farm Stands was (and remains) high. The Farm Stand also required more personnel and more job opportunities for trainees.
“
I know that as I transition from prison to home - being a part of Alma Backyard Farms. I know that by giving myself, I am building rather than taking, and I realize that prison is less and less a part of me as I engage in positive pro-social activities.
— Program Participant
2019
Breaking ground in San Pedro 1.0 Farm
On the move to always improve and scale up appropriately, ALMA developed a 5,000 square foot vacant lot in San Pedro into an urban farm.
2020
Pandemic / Covid Relief / Grocery Kit Giveaway
Arguably the COVID-19 Pandemic was a defining moment for many organizations. As a food provider, ALMA was deemed an essential business, and this paved a way for continued operations. The pandemic shutdown of businesses meant the closure of many restaurants, a handful of which ALMA’s produce was slated. Given the Covid disruptions local (and national) rates of food insecurity soared. ALMA made the crucial decision to give away all that we grew, which developed into the biweekly Grocery Kit Giveaways. 250 bags full of ALMA organic produce and small batch pantry items from an array of local food producers were distributed through a drive-up service. The line-up of cars was often over a mile long. A notable comment from one of the Grocery Kit recipients was that ALMA provided “dignity in a bag.”
2022
Breaking ground in San Pedro 2.0 Farm and amending city ordinance
ALMA’s growth expanded into approximately 15,000 square feet of vacant land in San Pedro. This new farm site meant that ALMA’s operations in San Pedro were near Compton’s in square footage. A Farm Stand is planned for San Pedro as the City of Los Angeles creates a path for on-site healthy food distribution on urban farms located within residential neighborhoods.
2023
Celebrating 10 years and launching Brunch service
Over the last 10 years, ALMA has learned valuable lessons in reclaiming lives, repurposing land, and reimagining community. Since re-opening in 2021, ALMA’s Farm Stand now serves 450-550 patrons every first and third Sunday in Compton. In 2023, ALMA introduced its Brunch Program, serving up to 150 nutritious meals featuring ALMA-grown ingredients at each Farm Stand. Reaching over 10,000 people annually, ALMA continues to evolve with the community’s needs. ALMA’s unique contributions to restorative, social, and climate justice through urban agriculture foster reentry, employment, and education, creating space for meaningful land stewardship.
10 YEARS OF RELATIONAL FARMING
Highlighting our Milestones
2024
Launching Capital Campaign and Food Trailers
ALMA’s impact will be experienced for generations to come. The goal of ALMA’s Capital Campaign is to reverse some of the harm caused by historical disenfranchisement and to reintegrate lives and communities after justice system involvement. Another story of South LA is possible — one of a healthy, nourished and engaged community with a shared sense of pride and resiliency. Feed the Soil + Feed the Soul will expand operations and scale impact so that generations can dine, learn and grow with existing backyard farms and those yet to come, creating the Los Angeles we want to see.
