Hidden Gems: Meet FrescaZona of FrescaZona

Today we’d like to introduce you to FrescaZona

Hi FrescaZona, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
FrescaZona, an initiative by the Creighton Community Foundation, was started in summer 2023 and is meant to enhance food security and nutrition in east-central Phoenix’s low-income neighborhoods surrounded by 8 of Phoenix’s 14 food deserts. Located at the cross-streets of 24th St. and Oak, this commercial storefront acts as the central hub for six hunger relief, food pantry, and urban agricultural sites, offering affordable, fresh produce and grocery staples to the community through weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes. We also offer milk, eggs, and farm fresh produce from our community gardens.
Utilizing Community Health Workers, FrescaZona provides case management, SNAP enrollment, nutrition education, and follow-up support, significantly improving local food access. Engaging 700 families and operating sustainably, FrescaZona also fosters youth entrepreneurship through agri-food activities and strengthens community engagement through various programs and volunteer opportunities.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
FrescaZona has been a long time in the making and we are still working hard to get where we want to be! Currently, we are in the process with the USDA FNS to accept SNAP/EBT online so customers can order and pay for their CSA boxes online and pick up in store – we have been working on this for over a year! Next, we want to start offering delivery to make healthy, affordable food accessible to all. We’d also like to expand out our CSA box options to offer more variety to our customers.
We are working slowly but surely towards the goals and are so grateful to have such a loving and supportive community behind us to make this work possible and help move us along.

As you know, we’re big fans of FrescaZona. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
FrescaZona is located at 2309 N 24th St. Phoenix, AZ 85008 and was founded by the Creighton Community Foundation as a solution for fresh, healthy, affordable, local foods in the Creighton community. We offer weekly CSA boxes, milk, eggs, and farm-fresh goodies (available for purchase at shop.frescazona.com). Our produce is sourced from local growers and from our community gardens scattered around the Creighton community. On site at FrescaZona we have Community Health Workers who can help customers with nutrition resources, education, and/or SNAP enrollment assistance. We also have a hydroponic garden indoors that is available to customers for fresh lettuce and herbs. FrescaZona is a Double Up Food Bucks vendor, so anyone using their SNAP/EBT benefits to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables will receive 50% off their purchase.

What were you like growing up?
FrescaZona is only a year old, but like any thriving young initiative, FrescaZona has quickly grown into its role as a vital community resource. Born in summer 2023, FrescaZona embodies the spirit of innovation and community empowerment, transforming the landscape of east-central Phoenix’s food accessibility. In just a year, FrescaZona has rapidly evolved into a critical community resource for so many families that offers fresh, healthy foods, SNAP enrollment assistance, nutrition education classes, and so much more. As we continue to mature, FrescaZona remains committed to nurturing local food access, youth engagement, and fostering a resilient, engaged community through our diverse programs.

Pricing:

• $38 for a weekly CSA box with fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs
• $19 for the same box when you use your SNAP/EBT dollars with Double Up Food Bucks

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.frescazona.com/
• Instagram: @frescazona_
• Facebook: @frescazona
• Other: https://shop.frescazona.com

Image Credits
Dora Melendez, Brooklyn Nieves, Adriana Medina (photo 2), Tania Avila (photo 3)