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Written by Madeline Walker
In the Fall of 2025, the Los Angeles Food Policy Council hosted its 5th cohort of our annual Food Leaders Lab. The Food Leaders Lab serves as a leadership development program designed to empower Angelenos to drive meaningful change in their communities and organizations. This 6-week virtual course provided training and coaching on food justice, food systems, community change, and civic engagement. The 2025 Food Leaders Lab was tailored to empowering home-based care providers throughout Los Angeles County; this program was rooted in deepening participant's knowledge in our local food system, expanding civic engagement participation, and learning about available program opportunities aimed at home-based care providers in Los Angeles County.
LAFPC hosted workshops between October 2025 to December 2025, and a total of 17 home-based care providers graduated from the program.. Participants who spoke English, Spanish or Mandarin, represented a diverse range of experiences within the early childhood care and education sector. Nearly half of the participants identified as owners, directors, or facility owners, while many others identified as childcare or daycare providers/educators as well as Family, Friend, Neighbor (FFN) caregivers. Some had been in the profession for just a couple of years and others had decades of experience.
The Food Leaders Lab Sessions
The program kicked off with introductions, allowing all participants to share what sparked their interest in joining the Food Leaders Lab program as home-based care providers. LAFPC also gave a brief presentation on the history of the organization and how the collective impact work that we do can be a resource for home-based care providers. The next session was led by Frank Tamborello of Hunger Action LA, and participants learned about the history of food justice in Los Angeles and how systemic drivers are connected to food systems work.
Week 3’s session was led by Vision Y Compromiso who gave a wonderful presentation on feeding styles and how to promote exposure to different kinds of food for children. This presentation led to a discussion that continued into the following week, where participants each shared how they are navigating food access for the children they care for. Additionally, many shared tips and tricks on how they set a weekly menu, determine what they will serve, and how they plan and prepare meals. The cohort also discussed participation in the CACFP program, noting that some use the program to help purchase food for the children they care for, while others cited barriers such as paperwork and the reimbursement model as to why they do not use the program. The group came up with a policy idea: a specific system for the CACFP program that would act like the WIC program, giving CACFP participants an EBT card with funds that would be used for providing food for the children they care for. This could replace the current reimbursement model.
After a restful Thanksgiving break, we had two presentations for Week 5’s session from council district staff Elizabeth Arrazola (LA County Supervisorial District District 2) and Savannah Portillo (LA County Supervisorial District 3). Elizabeth gave a presentation on the budget process in LA County, and Savannah shared knowledge about the county legislative process. The presentations spearheaded great questions from our cohort, who expressed that they learned much new information about how to be more civically engaged. As it turns out, there was a motion in that week’s County Board of Supervisors meeting that would ensure that the county take steps to increase awareness and visibility of WIC and CACFP programs at touchpoints like early education centers, child care providers, and healthcare settings in order to increase enrollment. We prepped the home-based care providers on how to submit a virtual testimony for this specific county motion. A handful of participants as well as LAFPC staff submitted letters of testimony as a result!
Finally, our last session consisted of a group discussion about the Board of Supervisors meeting and feedback regarding the testimony activity. Additionally, participants shared their reflections of the last 5 weeks as well as priorities they would like to see in 2026.
Every session was full of thought-provoking discussion and questions from participants. Many participants shared invaluable personal stories that inspired the group as well as various resources that other participants deemed helpful for their work.
Food Leaders Lab Program Impact Evaluation
The LAFPC team conducted an assessment of the Food Leaders Lab program to measure knowledge, attitude, and practice change within the cohort.
According to the program evaluation, key outcomes include:
Growth of knowledge about child nutrition: Almost 85% of participants rated their infant nutrition knowledge as good or excellent at the end of the training, showing strong confidence in supporting healthy eating for young children.
Confidence in Advocacy: Nearly 8 in 10 participants felt confident in their ability to advocate for changes in food policy after participating in the program
Overall Feedback: All participants gave the Food Leaders Lab a perfect 5 out of 5 rating, highlighting its success in building knowledge, confidence, and practical skills in child nutrition and food policy advocacy.
In the survey, participants shared several challenges to helping families eat healthier and improve the food system. Common barriers included the high cost of healthy food, limited access, lack of time, convenience, and picky eating. They also pointed to bigger issues, such as the widespread availability and marketing of ultra-processed foods and policies that make unhealthy foods cheaper and easier to find. Participants emphasized the need for culturally relevant nutrition education and more equitable support for families and providers. Overall, while participants feel empowered by the program, they still face real social and economic barriers to making healthy eating easier for everyone.
When asked about which strategies or tools from the Food Leaders Lab have been most helpful, respondents reflected on various aspects of the program, including praise for specific Food Leaders Lab sessions as well as appreciation for newfound practical skills, like shopping on a budget or learning about SNAP benefits. Some respondents said that everything they learned during the 6-week period was helpful.
One participant stated:
“The Food Leaders Lab has enhanced my work by expanding and confirming my knowledge, giving me stronger tools to support healthy eating for children. I joined this cohort to better understand resources in my local community and to share that information with other providers and CACFP colleagues. A key benefit has been learning how to maximize funds like SNAP for greater purchasing power, making healthier options more accessible for families.”
Final Thoughts:
As a Policy Associate at the LAFPC, it was such a distinct honor to help facilitate the 2025 Food Leaders Lab and meet so many wonderful leaders and caregivers who are so passionate about the children they care for. All of the participants that we met throughout the duration of the program are so hardworking, thoughtful, and dedicated to their work.
A highlight of the Food Leaders Lab experience was preparing home-based care providers for public comment, followed by the cohort successfully drafting compelling comments that same week! It was a full circle moment - many of our leaders had never submitted any kind of public comment beforehand, so it was especially inspiring to see so many go-getters want to participate in the public comment process very soon after learning about it.
LAFPC is excited to continue to foster these relationships with the 2025 cohort, as well as host another Food Leaders Lab cohort in the fall of 2026.
2025 Food Leaders Lab Participants:
Jie Liao, Diamond Bar
Zonia Sanchez, Antelope Valley
Jessica Ramirez, Antelope Valley
Cristian Corona, Culver City
Marina Navarro, Antelope Valley
Marthalyn Langford, Long Beach
Beatriz M., Redondo Beach
Pamela Hill, Long Beach
Theda Jackson, Gardena
Maria Silva, Baldwin Park
Catina Ibizugbe, Carson
Catherine Scott, Long Beach
Patricia Ali, Chino Hills
U-Cheng Cheong, West Covina
Morena Barrera, San Fernando Valley
Sandra Batres, San Fernando Valley
Itza Sanchez, Torrance
Madeline Walker (she/her) is a Policy Associate with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council. She holds a Master of the Environment (MENV) with a specialization in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy from the University of Colorado Boulder, as well as bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Communication from SUNY Geneseo.
Vivimos, trabajamos y cultivamos alimentos.
sobre tierras indígenas no cedidas.
Reconocemos y honramos a los descendientes de los pueblos Tongva, Kizh y Gabrieleño como los guardianes tradicionales de las tierras de Tovaangar (la Cuenca de Los Ángeles y las Islas del Canal del Sur). Rendimos homenaje a los Honuukvetam (Ancestros), 'Ahiihirom (Ancianos) y 'Eyoohiinkem (nuestros parientes/relatos), pasados, presentes y futuros.
Como parte de una cuenca alimentaria más amplia, también queremos rendir homenaje y honrar a los Chumash, Tataviam, Serrano, Kitanemuk, ʔíviĨuqaletem, Acjachemen, Payómkawichum y a cualquier otro grupo tribal que no se haya mencionado. Como Consejo de Política Alimentaria de Los Ángeles, reconocemos que este reconocimiento territorial es limitado y que la participación es un proceso continuo de aprendizaje y rendición de cuentas. Para obtener más información sobre estas Primeras Naciones, visite aquí.