Press Release: Produce Collective to Open on York

The following press release was submitted by eroots Sales and Marketing Manager and Nina Zippay.

York Boulevard is about to get a lot healthier. 

This month, eroots, a social enterprise start-up, launches their produce box service to the greater Northeast Los Angeles community. 

It works like this:  you sign up online at www.eroots.org, select York Boulevard as the Community Partner location, and the following Thursday you pick up a box filled with organic and sustainably grown produce at the eroots Annex at 5827 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA  90042.

There’s Beauty in the Box

“We create beauty in the form of a box of produce,” states Sales and Marketing Manager Nina Zippay.  “Each week our local farms and produce team take particular care in the selection of the fruits and vegetables that go in the box, insuring freshness, variety, and color.” 

Think purple artichokes, blood oranges, red Russian kale, or French Breakfast radishes.  “There have been weeks where I felt I as if I was carrying a veritable vegetable rainbow home with me,” explains Nina. “When we eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors we get the best all-around health benefits, making the eroots produce box all the more beautiful in my eyes.’    

And if you’ve never had or cooked a purple kohlrabi, let alone a green one, eroots is there for you.  Along with a subscription, you receive an electronic newsletter filled with recipes and serving suggestions.  Plus, there’s the fun atmosphere of the pick-up days.  Last week children had made homemade bracelets and bookmarks with phrases like “Eat Veggies” or “eroots” and were giving them away to the families picking up their boxes.  Watching the families pick up a box of produce is a confirmation that healthy eating can be fun for all.  “There’s no better sense of job satisfaction than watching a child open up their produce box and start eating the strawberries or blueberries before their mom can even get it to the car,” says Nina Zippay.  

Making a Difference with the Box

The poster hanging outside eroots’ offices reads: “Just One Box Makes a Difference.”  And what a big difference a box of produce makes.  With each $21.00 box, eroots gives back 20% of its proceeds to local schools, local food access programs for families of modest means, local job training programs, and of course, local farms.   

How it makes a difference is best explained by eroots subscribers. 

“The customers win; the farmers win; the local schools win; and families of modest means win.  It’s a win-win-win-win for everyone!” states subscriber Jon Brody. “And the kids love the surprise of seeing what’s in the box each week.”

Proceeds from the produce boxes also helps support organic markets at senior centers, cooking classes for at-risk youth in the community, and naturally, the local farms.  Unlike a traditional CSA, eroots provides a vast array of produce from local farms such as South Central Farms, Weiser Family Farms, and more.  With weekly produce orders from eroots these local farms are provided with a consistent, sustainable customer base.  General Manager Alex Dorsey states that “each eroots box supports a stronger more vibrant community. What a produce box really produces is results.”  

eroots produce boxes are available for order at www.eroots.org.  After signing up customers can pick up their box Thursdays at the eroots’ York offices at 5827 York Boulevard, Suite C, Los Angeles, CA  90042 from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m.