With funding from The California Endowment, Alchemist CDC is working in partnership with several other Sacramento-based non-profits to improve access to healthy foods in the south area of Sacramento (from Oak Park, south to 47th Ave., between Franklin Boulevard and Power Inn Road). This project is being carried out as part of the Building Healthy Communities initiative, a statewide project to improve the health of selected communities www.calendow.org/healthycommunities
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For this project, Alchemist CDC researched possible market-based solutions to improving healthy food access, e.g., creating a neighborhood outlet for locally grown fresh produce that can be implemented in alternative ways–by adding fresh produce and other healthy foods and educational resources to existing convenience stores/corner markets, or development of a new stand-alone produce-focused market. Through interviews, feasibility analyses, focus groups, and other data gathering methods, Alchemist CDC outlined an action plan for implementing Healthy Corner Store Makeover projects.
Alchemist CDC is currently partnering with Sam’s Market (23rd Ave. & 42nd St. 95820) to increase the offerings of fresh produce available in the community. With the owner’s commitment to offer fresh locally-grown produce in the store, it is one of the few sources for healthy food in this area of South Oak Park that has been identified as a food desert. Further, the store accepts CalFresh/EBT (food stamps) and WIC. We encourage you to support this community-based project by shopping at Sam’s Market. 
We’ll be operating a farm stand in front of Sam’s Market Sundays, 12-3pm during the summer of 2013.
Additionally, Alchemist CDC is working with another Building Healthy Communities partner to help beautify the lot behind another convenience store, Home Cash Market at 14th Ave. and 44th St. Ubuntu Green’s – Green Youth Leadership Team has cleaned up the lot behind the market and installed a garden that is being maintained by the youth. The Team recruited additional youth and adult volunteers and residents from the neighborhood to help them pick up trash, pull weeds, prune trees and install garden boxes.
To determine if you reside within the South Sacramento Building Healthy Communities area, please check the BHC map.
