Meet Jennifer Grissom of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Grissom.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When I became a mom (22 years ago!), I wanted to make sure I modeled healthy behavior for my daughter and began searching for information to define what that meant for my family. As I leaned into learning about the significant role diet plays in mental and physical health outcomes, I also learned just how impactful our food system is on the environment, economy, and local ecosystems. I became passionate about advocating for my health and the health of my family and community, and we adopted a plant-based diet and incorporated ethical buying practices into our lives. I was a teacher at the time, and while I loved being in the classroom, I wanted a career that more closely aligned with advocating for healthier food systems, so I began completing certifications and courses in nutrition and non-profit administration while searching for opportunities that would allow me to use my strengths to make a real impact.

That search eventually led to my time as the Executive Director of Fort Worth Bike Sharing in Fort Worth, Texas, where I learned just how important the role of non-profit work in community building is. When we moved to Los Angeles, I was eager to continue work supporting healthy communities, initially looking to participate in volunteer work or serve on a board. I had been looking into organizations in the local food systems space and regularly visiting the LA Farmers’ Markets. I was introduced to Food Access LA (then SEE-LA), the nonprofit that works to address food insecurity by operating nine Farmers’ Markets and nutrition security programming in and around the city. The mission deeply resonated with me, and when I saw they had an opening, I applied. And now, here we are!

I am so very proud and honored to be part of an amazing team. Their dedication, compassion, and willingness to show up week after week encourages me daily and was especially inspiring when we pivoted to support our communities after the fires and in response to ICE raids. We purchased food directly from farmers at prices they set, helping them recover lost sales, and delivered that food to the communities that needed it most. I’m also proud to work with a strong network of partners to collectively amplify sustainable food systems and address the root causes of hunger.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
You know, I’m not sure there is such a thing as a smooth road. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted in life, and even longer to figure out how to get it. Adjusting to a new city and a new job at the same time was tough, and 2025 hasn’t been kind to those of us in the nonprofit world. But if I’m being honest, my biggest challenge has been myself. I have been afraid to ask for help, worried way too much about what people would think of me, and allowed my confidence to be shaken by all the newness. Once I learned how to get out of my own way (well, let’s be honest, I’m still learning), I think the biggest struggle is being able to meet everyone’s needs equitably. Everyone needs something differen,t and each day we’re making decisions that impact farmers, vendors, communities, staff members of all different levels, and it’s a challenge to weigh all the variables and determine what is going to be the best option for the most people while also examining what is going to be the best option for the future and overall organizational health. I’ve run a lot of miles recently in an attempt to carve out enough brain space for it all.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Our mission at Food Access LA is simple – we support farmers and feed Los Angeles. Everything we do is done with this mission in mind. Food Access LA is unique in that we address the issues that surround food insecurity in a holistic way and work hard to meet the distinct needs of the farmers and communities we serve. We operate nine Farmers’ Markets (Atwater Village, Central Ave, Crenshaw, Compton College, Echo Park, Hollywood, LA River, Little Tokyo, and Watts/Willowbrook) and offer Market Match, a benefit program that makes produce more equitably accessible while supporting local farmers, at each of those markets. We also run adult and student Nutrition Education Programs, support an emerging Urban Ag program, and offer wholesale/ CSA produce delivery options.

In addition to our programming, it’s meaningful that we are supporting the growth of nutritionally dense food coming from farms using responsible, organic, and/or regenerative practices. Farms that are making positive impacts on the environment. We’re keeping money in the local food economy, feeding people real food, teaching them how to incorporate those foods into their daily lives in a culturally relevant way, and supporting environmentally responsible practices – if ever there was an organization that offers a win-win-win-win to support and be proud of, this is it. When you visit a market, you’re supporting all of that. Talk about making a dollar work!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to support your local food systems, especially right now, with so many unknowns for farmers and nutrition benefits. I know it takes a bit of extra time to add a farmers’ market trip to your week or plan meals around what you get in our CSA box, but the reward and impact far outweigh that effort. You’re making a conscious choice to spend your dollar supporting local growers and food vendors (did you know farmers at the market get on average $.80 on the dollar as opposed to only $.15 from a grocery chain?), providing your body with nutrient-dense foods, and strengthening environmentally positive efforts. And the cherry on top is that you get to see so much joy and goodness when you’re at your local farmers’ market. You can’t not be happy there, it just isn’t possible!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://foodaccessla.org
• Instagram: foodaccessla
• LinkedIn: foodaccessla
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH2kr8CLn41q7-n5lCMryRg
• Other: https://foodaccessla.org/eat-ordering