Facebook / Jamie Gonzalez
San Antonio hunger fighter Jamie Gonzalez works to improve accessibility to fresh produce in San Antonio neighborhoods.
Gonzalez — known locally as the “Puta de la Fruta,” thanks to her tenacious work and more than 15 years of experience — the activist is one of a dozen candidates vying for the association’s 2022 national EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator prizes. The program provides training and grants to small businesses, social entrepreneurs and innovators making a difference in community health.
Gonzalez is the director of community feeding for BIG FRESH, a San Antonio-based organization that hosts monthly produce markets and provides nutrition education. BIG FRESH works to create long-term solutions that help families develop a healthier, more equitable relationship with food.
In addition to the $50,000 grant, Gonzalez also is in the running for a separate $5,000 Fan Favorite prize from the Heart Association. To help the Puta snag the additional prize, supporters can vote once a day at the American Heart Association website. Voting runs Oct. 7-20.
“Winning the Accelerator would mean taking my work to a new level and taking the next step in the journey to ensure that everybody eats,” Gonzalez said in an emailed statement. “Together, we can spark a change in our relationship with food that will transcend generations. Quality food is not a luxury. It is the expectation.”
If Gonzalez wins the $50,000 grand prize or the $5,000 Fan Favorite prize — or both — she'll use the cash to expand BIG FRESH’s partnerships. She also plans to launch a program for families that will provide access to produce and fresh foods on a sliding income scale.
“The program is designed for everyone, whether or not you're income-challenged,” Gonzalez told the Current. “There’s just such an opportunity to open [underserved] areas up to different experiences, offer them produce they might not have access to without these programs.”
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