New CSA in Crown Heights

The recently established Central Brooklyn CSA just had its second week of distribution at the Hebron SDA Church at 1256 Dean St. in Crown Heights.

This CSA is one of only a few citywide to accept food stamps/SNAP benefits as a form of payment. The Central Brooklyn site is the fourth CSA organized by the NYC Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH). It is located in the 10th Congressional District in Central Brooklyn, where 30.8 percent of residents faced food hardship in 2008-2009; the district has the sixth highest rate of food hardship out of all the country’s 436 congressional districts.

In addition to providing access to healthy food, the Central Brooklyn CSA supports both local agriculture and Grow NYC’s New Farmer Development Project, which helps immigrants with agriculture experience establish small farms in the region. The Central Brooklyn CSA produce comes from MimoMex farm, operated by Martín and Gaudencia Rodriguez in Goshen, N.Y. Mr. Rodriguez is the first farmer out of the New Farmer Development Project to own a farm.