The time has come to honor and celebrate our Food Justice branch—Growing Food for a Healthy Industry!

The Food Justice branch is a force in increasing food access and fostering sustainability in the Rainier Beach neighborhood. This branch is cultivating healthier lives and a more resilient food system by empowering Rainier Beach and supporting Black and Brown farmers.

We are proud to showcase the “Grow Food to Develop Healthy Industry” branch, which drives sustainability, economic development, and neighborhood health in Rainier Beach. Programs such as the Farm Stand, Free Green Fridays, Seeds of Change Network, and our new Food Innovation Center Phase 1 building highlight RBAC’s leadership in fostering a greener, more sustainable future.

One cornerstone of our Food Justice branch is the Saturday Farm Stand, running from mid-June to mid-October each year. This program directly supports local Black and Brown farmers by sourcing fresh, local produce and distributing it to the neighborhood—for FREE! Every Saturday, our team sets up the farm stand at the Food Hub, where neighbors can pick up high-quality produce sourced from Black and Brown-owned farms. This program helps bridge the gap in food access in the Rainier Beach neighborhood!

In addition to the Saturday Farm Stand, the Free Green Fridays program ensures neighbors have weekly access to fresh, leafy greens. Every Friday during farm stand season, we distribute free greens at the Food Hub. This program is another way we work to provide consistent access to nutritious food and support healthier lifestyles in our neighborhood.

Our Community Supported Agriculture boxes (CSA) delivers fresh, seasonal produce straight to the doors of Rainier Beach residents. Every week, produce sourced from Black and Brown farmers is carefully packed into boxes and distributed to households across the neighborhood, all by our team and supported through our Food Justice Fellows. This service strengthens our local food system, supports BIPOC farmers, and ensures equitable food access for families.

The Seeds of Change Network is a for farmers, by-farmers collective that uplifts the voices of those who cultivate our food and stewards our land. This network fosters collaboration and shared learning among farmers while addressing systemic barriers in the food systems. Currently, the SOC team is working on the Seeds of Change Documentary, which highlights farmers’ intricate, holistic lives and the art and practice of farming. By capturing these stories, the documentary seeks to show the nuances of our farmers’ lives and the art of farming.

The Food Innovation Center serves as a hub for sustainable food practices, offering our farmers training, resources, and space. The FIC Phase 1 holds our cold storage, where we store our produce as always and create a home for our partner farmers’ produce. It also has dry storage, a state-of-the-art washing system for produce, an upstairs meeting area, an in-development sound studio, and more! It is the beginning of Rainier Beach Action Coalition starting the work in developing a Food Innovation District!

Through these impactful programs, the Food Justice branch is more than a source of nourishment—it’s a beacon of equity, empowerment, and resilience. By supporting Black and Brown farmers, ensuring consistent food access, and uplifting neighborhood voices, we are building a greener, more sustainable food system for Rainier Beach.

Join us in exploring our Growing Food for a Healthy Industry branch and learn more about the Four Branches, Four Colors series! Please consider donating to support this vital work. Every contribution helps us create a brighter future for Rainier Beach youth and strengthens our neighborhood.

Visit the link below to donate and learn more:

Donate to Food Justice Here

Thank you, and see you in the neighborhood!

-Mawahib Ismail

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