Sustainable Community Projects Internship - Updates

January 1, 2010: Marc Ross is currently working on two projects. In his own words, he summarizes the goals:

The first project is a brochure describing how to start an urban
garden. There will be a series of seven questions one may ask during
the process, and instructions and ideas of how to answer them. It will
also offer contact information of city and private resources
available, as well as local groups associated with DLANC.

The second project is the garden. We are currently working with Paul
Zawacki at Skid Row Housing Trust to try and build a garden in the
space behind the Las Americas building on 6th and Alameda St., or
another spot. The idea is that the produce yielded from the garden
will be sold to chefs of local restaurants for use in their cuisine
and will grow specialty crops specifically for their needs. The
proceeds will be used to pay the low-income residents of the SROs
working the garden, as well as go towards supplies for maintaining it.
The micro-enterprising idea is designed to give economic stimulus to
ensure success of the garden. We are still trying to ascertain whether
the spot behind Las Americas is available for such a project.

October 19, 2009: Marc Ross, Sustainable Community Projects Intern will be focusing on a rooftop ordinance study for the remainder of the internship. He has already been very helpful in compiling information for two different tree planting grants and we hope to submit these to our partner LACC soon. Working exclusively on the ordinance study will focus Marc's efforts in support of Project 1: Rooftop Edible & Composting Containers (Project Lead: Dawna Nolan) to the benefit of the Sustainability Committee's understanding of the issue. We continue to post updates for the remaining weeks of the internship. Start Date: October 6, 2009 / Tentative End Date: December 31, 2009 (12 week min.)

October 6, 2009: We would like to welcome Marc J. Ross, 2009 Sustainable Community Project Intern for the Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. This is the first time we have had an (unpaid) internship for the neighborhood council and Marc will be dedicated to supporting the advancement of our organization's goals.

In Marc's own words, here is why he wants to get involved:

"Currently, I am employed by the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles as their Nutritional Specialist. My position gives me the opportunity to feed women of low means the healthiest foods that they might not necessarily find anywhere else downtown. Aside from cooking healthy fare, the participants and I engage in discussions on how to improve their health and well being through their diets. We provide them with fresh fruits and vegetables daily, many of them donated from relationships I have developed with farmers from the Pershing Square farmers market and Heath and Lejeune. However, because of budgetary restraints, I am unable to provide my participants with solely sustainable, organic produce and protein.

Food security and food sustainability are my passion and two topics I spend great amounts of time researching. I strongly believe that if we as a society do not take the necessary steps to become a sustainable nation, our lives and the lives of future generations are in grave risk of losing the planet to elements no longer within our control. The steps needed to change our current systems are daunting, but it is a challenge to which I want to devote my career. Locally, I want to help empower and educate Los Angeles to make more informed choices, incrementally helping us move towards a more sustainable and independent future. This internship opportunity will assist me in working toward and achieving that goal and introduce me to future possibilities."

We were very pleased with the excellent candidates we had for this opportunity and thank you for your enthusiasm and support of the Sustainability Committee. For more information on the original internship posting, including a job description, click here.

Welcome Marc!