One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
New Smoothie Producer Hopes To Eliminate Childhood Hunger
Photo courtesy of Plum Organics on Facebook
In a country that's known for its obesity epidemic, it might be hard to believe that so many young children are going without food. An astounding 50 million people in the U.S. —one in four of which are children —don’t know where their next meal is coming from. This issue has been addressed by documentaries like "A Place at the Table" and charity events like Taste of the Nation, and now a new start-up called Plum Organics is hoping to chip in.
The smoothie, which is called The Full Effect, is made with apples, spinach, carrot, white beans and oats, making it a complete nutrition supplement compared to the french fries and fast food most American kids are used to getting in some of our country's food deserts. Co-founder and CEO Neil Grimmer thinks it could have a profound impact locally.
According to ABC, the company has rolled out a half-million pouches to charitable organizations like the Children's Institute, which helps families in Echo Park, South L.A. and others.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
