Ron Finley of South Central Los Angeles recognized that the majority of his community was struggling with food insecurity. He found that his desire for eating healthy meant he had to drive 30 to 45 minutes away from Los Angeles. This is an issue that leaves over 25 million Americans with insufficient or unhealthy foods. Ron set out to build something that would put an end to this food desert: community gardens.

Green Grounds was started by Ron Finley in 2010 and is supported by countless volunteers who help plan, dig, construct, and maintain public food gardens. Members of the community are invited to visit these gardens for whatever food they might need, and to learn the advantages of seeking out fresh and organic produce. Ron has recently started the Ron Finley Project to educate young people on the benefits of hard work, sustainability, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Ron planted a seed almost a decade ago that has bloomed into a community effort to combat food insecurity in their community.

Looking towards the future, Ron hopes to continue to transform the food desert in South Central Los Angeles into a food forest, educating and motivating the population along the way. The Ron Finley Project hosts seminars and workshops to teach gardening and share the message of change.

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