Where is Plumas County? And why there?

Plumas County is a remote, mountainous area of Northeast California that has minimal access to fresh produce and health services. As a “frontier” community, with 8 people per square mile and 85 miles from the nearest city, many of our resident’s experience chronic food insecurity and lack basic health services. Given our geographic region, Plumas County is also vulnerable to a changing climate and must create a resilient emergency food system.

According to the Plumas County Community Health Assessment (CHA) conducted in 2016, the percentage of individuals identified as “food insecure” rose between 2014 and 2015, while at the same time the percentage for California dropped almost 14%. CalFresh recipients (California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) have nearly doubled since 2010. 19% of the population in Plumas County identify as food insecure, yet children have a higher rate of 23% (in contrast to 19% of children across California.)

We have a vulnerable and economically disadvantaged population living in an isolated region. This prospect may sound bleak, but because of this geographic isolation, Plumas County has an incredibly tight knit community, where taking care of each other is the way that we survive. Lost Sierra Food Project germinated from community need and interest. This is how grassroots change starts. Our programs seek to address the root cause of food insecurity and environmental degradation from agriculture, while empowering our community to create lasting solutions.