LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach is taking new steps to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to every corner of the city.

What You Need To Know

  • Long Beach has a new pilot program that received over 250-thousand dollars in funding to expand access to healthy, affordable and culturally relevant produce for the community

  • Under the program, Long Beach corner and liquor stores will get free produce and equipment like shelves and refrigerators

  • Market owners can sell the produce at competitive prices

  • The program focuses on west and north Long Beach, parts of the city that historically have been food deserts

The city of Long Beach is working in partnership with an organization called Long Beach Fresh on a the city of Long Beach on a new pilot program that received over $250,000 in funding to expand access to healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant produce for the community.

Sarah Ssentongo, who works with Long Beach Fresh, picks up the produce from various farmers' markets and urban farms to distribute to the stores participating in the program.

'When I walk into these liquor stores and small markets with strawberries and pomegranates, people are so excited to see these fruits and vegetables that they normally don't have access to," Ssentongo said.

The program was funded for an initial 15 months, but the intention is to bridge relationships between farmers and store owners that can continue beyond the end of the program.