For over a decade, Community Roots Farm has been a sanctuary—a place where food, culture, and justice flourished. We have grown hundreds of thousands of pounds of food, created a refuge for our communities, and built deep relationships with the land and each other. It has been an act of love for our community in Oceanside and surrounding communities.

But now, we are being forced to leave.

Our landlords, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, told us we could stay—but only if we silenced parts of who we are. They asked us to suppress our open support for LGBTQIA+ people and our celebrations of cultural traditions like Summer Solstice and Día de los Muertos.

We had a choice:
🌱 Stay, but betray the very people and values this space was built for.
🌱 Or leave, holding firm to everything we believe in.

We chose integrity. We chose our community. We chose to walk away.

And now, we are asking for your support to help us rebuild.

Our Next Chapter: The Plant Lab & Seed Hub

Though we are losing this land, our work does not end here. We are growing new spaces that truly reflect our values and our vision.

The Plant Lab – A botanical maker space where land-based education, seed sovereignty, and ecological learning thrive.
The Seed Hub (inside the Plant Lab) – A dedicated space for seed cleaning, training, and biodiversity preservation.
The Plant Nursery – Continuing our commitment to provide free edible and native plants to schools and food justice projects.
Expanded Education Programs – Hands-on learning for youth, families, and community members, ensuring the next generation is rooted in justice, stewardship, and connection.
Supporting & Cultivating More Green Spaces – We are committed to activating and sustaining inclusive green spaces across our communities, ensuring everyone has access to places of nourishment, healing, and connection with the land.

Why We Need $50,000

Transitioning from the farm means rebuilding from the ground up. Your donation will help us:

💚 Secure and set up The Plant Lab & Seed Hub – Our new space costs $4,500 per month, and we need support to keep this vital work going.
🌱 Fund our plant nursery, allowing us to continue growing and distributing free edible and native plants.
📚 Expand youth mentorship & education programs, providing hands-on learning, field trips, and workshops.
🔧 Equip our Seed Hub with tools for seed cleaning, preservation, and training for local growers.
🌿 Support and sustain inclusive green spaces, ensuring our communities have access to places of nourishment, healing, and connection.

Every dollar helps us rebuild, re-root, and grow stronger.

Why We Need Your Support

Losing our farm is heartbreaking. The soil we’ve cared for, the food we’ve grown, the people who have found healing here—it is painful to say goodbye. But we refuse to let this be the end. We are transforming this loss into a new beginning.

This Moment is About More Than Us

This is about what it means to stand for justice. To say that green spaces should belong to all people. That food, land, and culture are deeply connected—and that no one should be told they don’t belong.

This is our moment to plant something new. To build spaces that no one can take away from us. Will you stand with us?

👉 Learn more from KPBS: [Watch the story & read the article here]

Donate Today & Help Us Grow

Every contribution—big or small—helps us take this next step. Let’s plant the seeds of this new chapter, together.

en solidaridad y paz,

Bianca Bonilla

EIN: 82-5297261

www.plantspeoplecommunity.org

Help Us Grow New Spaces for Food & Environmental Justice

By Botanical Community Development Initiatives

Help Us Grow New Spaces for Food & Environmental Justice

Leaving Our Farm, Standing by Our Values, and Planting a New Future