{"id":4667,"date":"2009-07-09T17:21:49","date_gmt":"2009-07-09T23:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=4667"},"modified":"2009-07-09T17:21:49","modified_gmt":"2009-07-09T23:21:49","slug":"food-people-power-new-healthy-food-co-op-opens-in-oakland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/food-people-power-new-healthy-food-co-op-opens-in-oakland\/","title":{"rendered":"Food, People, Power: New Healthy Food Co-op Opens in Oakland"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2009<\/p>\n

What do you do if you find yourself in the middle of an urban healthy-food desert? <\/strong>Look for an oasis for sustenance. Oakland may be on the list of the top 10 Greenest Cities<\/a>, but certain areas like West Oakland are nearly bereft of healthy, local food, which is an important element of sustainability. Fortunately, an oasis has just appeared in West Oakland in the form of a worker-owned grocery store with a focus on healthy, organic, local food and community.<\/p>\n

Mandela Foods Cooperative<\/a> finally opened its doors<\/strong> a few weeks ago and I was there to help celebrate. A project that has been many years in the making, Mandela made locals headlines<\/a> this spring in anticipation of its opening because of its importance in the community.<\/p>\n

\"2009Located on 7th Street across from West Oakland Bart, Mandela Foods Cooperative is worker-owned and operated. It is comparatively small, but packed with items such as fresh, organic produce, bulk cereals, dried fruit, and nuts, and a few shelves of canned goods. Its beef and lamb are grass fed, antibiotic free, and sourced from local family farms. The chicken is free range, vegetarian fed, and raised without hormones. Produce and meat are sourced from a variety of Northern California farms.<\/p>\n

Mandela is also working with Planting Justice<\/a>, an urban agriculture\/food justice project<\/strong> founded by Gavin Raders and Haleh Zandi, who donated starter vegetable plants. Later in the season, they will have fresh produce available.<\/p>\n

I went early Saturday morning to catch the grand opening. Prior to the cutting of the ribbon by one of the worker-owners, a blessing was given by an imam\/minister who invoked the spirit of the Creator and the community to sustain the food collective and referred to Adam as the original gardener. Councilwoman Nancy Nadel of Oakland District #3 was also there to support the store opening.\"2009<\/p>\n

It was an exciting event and resource for the residents of West Oakland. I will be supporting Mandela whenever I am in that neck of the woods, er, I mean city.<\/p>\n

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