Market Makeover Grand Re-Opening & Block Party Community Event Alba Snacks & Services. 6001 S. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90044

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Nelson Garcia's corner store, $1 Dollar Warehouse on

60th / Vermont Ave. has now officially reopened

as Alba Snacks & Services, a new Healthy

Neighborhood Market.

Over 200 students, families, local residents and

community leaders came out to a block party

community event on Saturday, March 29th (3/29/14)

to celebrate the grand reopening Alba Snacks &

Services with Nelson Garcia.

Community Market Conversion Phase 1: Healthy Food, Healthy Business

For the past year, Nelson worked closely with staff at the Los Angeles Food Policy Council along

with food retail and business development consultants at Shook Kelley and LURN to develop a

vibrant re-design plan for Nelson’s store. Through a transformative renovation and business plan,

Nelson re-branded his store “Alba Snacks and Services” and began to offer fresh and healthy food,

starting with a “Healthy Snack Zone” in his store.

The new Healthy Snack Zone at Alba Snacks & Services includes a whole new section of delicious,

nutritious, affordably priced snacks for youth at the neighboring John Muir Middle School and Augustus

F. Hawkins High School to choose from. New healthy products include snack-able fruit such as oranges,

apples, bananas and strawberries, and yogurt, trail mix, nuts, seeds and protein bars.

A newly revamped Community Zone behind the cashwrap is fully equipped with computers, wifi,

office/school supplies, remittances and other services for families and students.

Alba's Snacks & Services is located at 6001 S. Vermont Ave, on the corner of 60th and Vermont, across

the street from John Muir Middle School.

Here are a few highlights from the grand re-opening event at Alba Snacks & Services on March 29, 2014.

"Smart Snacking for Student Athletes" Workshop & New

Product Tasting: A tasting of Nelson's new healthy snacks,

and a few tips on eating to fuel better athletic performance.

A Smart Snacking tipsheet (English & Spanish) was shared in

this morning workshop, led by Julie Ward (Love Life Eat

Well) & Sarah Howell Natalini (HNMN Volunteer)

Family Workout Activities: These short, family-friendly

exercises got everyone’s adrenaline up, so everyone was

amped and ready to dance all day.

High School Marketing Prototypes for Alba Snacks &

Services: As part of their entrepreneurship skills building,

Augustus F. Hawkins High School seniors from the RISE

School presented marketing prototypes to help Nelson grow

a loyal customer base for the new healthy foods at his store.

Project coordinated by Hawkins Teacher Katie Rainge-Briggs.

Community Arts Mural for Alba Snacks & Services: A live

arts workshop led by the Hawkins High C:\DAGS School and

Mural Club had participants painting a temporary

community mural for Alba Snacks & Services, using stencils

prepared by Hawkins students. Artists Astrid Villagran and

June Edmonds from LA Commons, Apollo Victoria & friends

from Habi Arts joined the workshop to lend their skills, and

together they imagined what a permanent community art

installation on Nelson's wall might look like.

Good Food Neighbors for Alba Snacks & Services: On

Saturday, March 29th, we were stoked to announce four

neighborhood institutions signed on to become Good Food

Neighbors for Alba Snacks & Services. The Good Food

Neighbor pledge is a good faith agreement by neighborhood

institutions promising to back up their local healthy

neighborhood market owner as community outreach or

purchasing partners. The following institutions signed the

Good Food Neighbor pledge for Alba Snacks & Services:

The Southern California Library,

Voices Neighborhood Council

St. John's Well Child and Family Center

From the Augustus F. Hawkins High School Campus: Responsible Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship

(RISE) School; Critical Design and Gaming (CDAGS) School; and the Community Health Advocates

(CHAS) School.

Councilmember Curren D. Price Jr. (CD 9), Nelson and

Alba Garcia, and Good Food Neighbors.

Dancing in the Streets! Edwin De La Mora (DJ Lust) and mariachi Jaime Valiente had everyone on their

feet, inside and outside of the dance tent all afternoon.

NELSON'S NEXT STEPS

Nelson plans to build a strong customer base for his new healthy snack

foods. Eventually, he'll phase up to offer more fresh produce, and

more community services to strengthen his brand as a Healthy

Neighborhood Market.

We encourage you to support Nelson and recognize that his store

conversion is a process of transformation. The more successful he is

with healthy snack products, the more healthy and fresh food he will

be able to offer.

Nelson's vision is to continue to serve the community by opening more

Alba Snacks & Services markets throughout Los Angeles.

To stay in touch with Nelson, or to get deeper with the Healthy

Neighborhood Market Network, please contact Esther Park:

healthymarkets{at}goodfoodla{dot}org.

MEDIA COVERAGE

KCET: Creating oases in food deserts with market makeovers

La Opinion: Latino cambia comida chatarra por fruta fresca en tienda de LA

Streetsblog: Got the Munchies?: South L.A. Market Conversion Project Takes Unique Approach to Health

Kiva Fellows Blog: 3 Ways an LA Kiva Borrower is Leading a Local Food Revolution

Plan for a Healthy LA Blog Post: Healthy Changes on the Block: Top 5 Reasons to come to the March 29

Grand Re-opening of a Healthy Neighborhood Market in South LA

THANK YOU

The Garcia Family: Nelson Garcia, Alba Garcia, their amazing and supportive family stand strong at the

center of all this brilliant, joyful community building. Thank you for believing in the transformative

power of community!

Sponsors: This community event was made possible by generous contributions from the Voices

Neighborhood Council and the Office of Council Member Curren D. Price Jr. (Los Angeles City Council

District 9). The community market conversion project was made possible by the generous support of the

JIB Fund Community Building Initiative and a crowd-sourced loan through Kiva Zip.

Community Partner: Augustus F. Hawkins High School

Hawkins RISE School 12th Grade Student Event

Consultants: Anthony Lopez, Destiny De La Torre, Kamari

Hooks, Lupe Vasquez, Oscar Gutierrez

Hawkins All-School 10th Grade Student Community Survey

Consultants: Alejandra Verdin, Dayana Gutierrez, Esmeralda

Rosales, Evelin Hernandez, Katherine Monzon, Kenneth

Reyes, Mariana De Santiago, Natasha Guandique

Advising Teachers: Katie Rainge-Briggs, Aleyda Moran, Ashley Englander, Holli Omori, Mark Gomez, Jay

Davis, Paul Bailey. Tony Terry (RISE Principal)

Resource Fair

North East Trees / Million Trees LA

Vermont Square Library

Green Alley Project / The Council for Watershed Health

Active Streets LA Campaign / TRUST South LA

Voices Neighborhood Council

Community Health Councils, Inc.

Community Services Unlimited, Inc.

LA County Department of Public Health - Champions for Change

Department of Public Social Services CalFresh Enrollment & Eligibility Team

Kishé Foods

Beanfields Snacks

Challengers Boys & Girls Club

Augustus F. Hawkins High School

Summit Preparatory Charter School

Photos: Thank you to LAFPC Board Member Rudy Espinoza for contributing as resident photographer at the

grand re-opening event. More photos from March 29 can be found at Rudy Espinoza's Flickr here, and at

friend Astrid Villagran's Flickr here.