ALMA Backyard Farms, based in Compton, California, is a non-profit that employs and trains formerly incarcerated individuals to reclaim their lives through urban agriculture. Founded in 2013, it focuses on restorative justice, environmental stewardship, and ending food insecurity in under-served communities.
Founded by the husband and wife team of Richard Garcia and Erika Cuellar, the organization said it has grown 125,000 pounds of vegetables annually, which is then sold through their bimonthly farm stands via a “pay what you can” model.
“We don’t turn anyone away,” Cuellar said. “That is part of our farm stand philosophy. Regardless of what crises [are] affecting our society, whether it’s a change in administration, cuts of benefits left and right, the fires, the ICE raids, whatever hits our community, ALMA has managed to be a consistent source of connection, belonging, and really good food.”
At the core, the program provides job training, restorative justice, food security, and a community hub.
“We didn’t want to replicate the same transactional models,” Garcia said. “At ALMA, work is relational. It’s about restoring dignity, not just getting people a job.”
Some of the impacts include:
Urban Agriculture Job Training: Empowers returning citizens through hands-on technical education in agriculture, landscaping, and carpentry. It serves as a pathway for re-entry, helping them build purpose, self-sufficiency, and stability.
Farm Stand Social Enterprise: The organic produce grown by the team (yielding up to 125,000 pounds of vegetables annually) is distributed through bi-monthly, pay-what-you-can farm stands to ensure neighborhood food access.
Farm Education: Connects local youth and children to nature by teaching them how to grow food, compost, and prepare healthy snacks.
“There’s no shame in my story anymore,” Dennis Meman, Associate Farm Manager and formerly incarcerated for 27 years, said. “Working here gave me a sense of trust, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.”
One challenges the organization faces is restrictive zoning laws, described by Garcia as “tension between the city’s vision of development and our vision of community.” He said, “we believe money and resources follows mission. If we stay rooted in our values, the rest will come.”
“When the world comes to L.A., I hope they’ll visit the farm,” he said regarding Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics. “I want them to see that transformation is possible, not just in sports, but in our justice system, our food systems, and in people’s lives.”
COMMENTS