Easterseals’ Child Development Services Plants the Seeds for a Healthy Future

Fresh, locally grown produce was on the menu recently, thanks to a new partnership between Easterseals SoCal’s (ESSC) Ventura Child Development Services (CDS), Farmivore—a farmer-owned food hub in Ventura County—and McGrath Family Farms.

Farmivore’s “Farm to School” collaboration provides farm-fresh, organic produce boxes to ESSC families, with each box tailored to their preferences. The first distribution featured a colorful mix of seasonal favorites like blueberries, potatoes, peaches, plums, carrots, beets, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and nectarines.

Growing Access to Healthy Food

"I was so excited for today!” said Diana, whose 2-year-old daughter attends ESSC’s Early Head Start program. “Free food is always good but free fruits and vegetables? Who would want to pass that up with these grocery prices?”

Jami is the mother of two children in the Early Head Start program, ages 5 months and two years old, and a 5-year-old in preschool at ESSC. “I am so grateful for the fresh fruits and vegetables,” she said. “What a thoughtful and generous gift for Easterseals families! The produce was beautiful and absolutely delicious. It not only helped provide a healthy meal for my children but it gave us the opportunity to enjoy cooking together and trying new vegetables.”

Cultivating Community

For Darrien Lambert, the Health and Nutrition Coordinator for ESSC's Ventura CDS, the program is about much more than fresh produce.

"Farm to School programs play a crucial role in nutrition education, health and building a stronger sense of community," Lambert said. "What makes this program especially meaningful is that it focuses on our youngest learners—children up to 5 years old. We're helping establish healthy eating habits early, which is incredibly exciting.

"And with grocery prices continuing to rise, being able to provide nutrient-dense foods to our families is something we're very proud of."

And on That Farm …

The produce for ESSC families came from McGrath Family Farms, which uses regenerative farming practices that promote healthy soil, protect biodiversity and conserve water. In addition to being USDA Organic Certified, the farm's sustainable approach helps reduce environmental impact.

"At Farmivore, our goal is simple: to get freshly harvested, nutrient-dense, organically grown fruits, vegetables and more into the hands of every member of our community,” said Michael Roberts of Camarillo-based McGrath Family Farms. “We deliver produce to schools, families and neighborhoods across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Instead of exporting what we grow and importing produce from far away, we focus on local and regional ways of feeding our communities, keeping food close to where it’s grown and making sure nothing goes to waste."

The Next Harvest

Said Heather Davidson, Area Director, Child Development Services, “This is Farmivore’s first partnership with an early childhood program and we are so excited to be part of it. It’s a truly meaningful collaboration that helps remove barriers for families while building stronger community connections with local agriculture.”

With plans to hold three more ESSC events this year, the first event reached 80% of enrolled families, making fresh, nutritious food more accessible while supporting local farmers. It's a win-win partnership that nourishes children and families, strengthens the community and helps care for the planet.