Feeding our children

Did you know that Latinos and African Americans have the most health issues in San Mateo County? The most common health problems that are affecting the community are obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and asthma according to experts from the health department in San Mateo County. These diseases are driven by the foods they eat and/or lack of exercise.  

Carla Hernandez explains how her schoolmates are kept in shape even though they have no place to do it.  "Most of the students in my class...play soccer, and that helps them stay in shape because they have no sports in our school.  They do not use the local parks, but use César Chávez [Academy]," said Carla Hernandez, 17, an East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy senior. 

Attorney Robert Garcia understands the crucial importance of parks and open spaces, and also the welfare of children growing up in crowded cities. "Children of color living in poverty have less access to parks and schools with five acres or more of the playing fields, and have the highest levels of childhood obesity," said Garcia.  Garcia is the founder of The City Project, based in a Los Angeles nonprofit that works for low-income communities for equal access to city parks, schoolyards and green spaces. 

'El Hermano Fuller'

In a city radius of 2.4 miles, there was no supermarket until Mi Pueblo opened on November 14th. Residents of East Palo Alto had to travel long distances, to Redwood City, for example, to buy their fruits and vegetables.  For this reason, many people started to buy their fruits and vegetables from the Hermano Fuller, a truck that delivers produce to customer’s houses.  Customers who rely on the Hermano Fuller are people without transportation.  "It's okay because sometimes people cannot go to the store because they do not drive," said Mrs. Marta. 

For the Fuller family it was very difficult to survive in the United States as a family of ten.  "We had to invent something so we could feed [our children]," said Mrs. Marta.  The family had an idea to get ahead.  They began selling fruits and vegetables to people at their homes.  "We went in a small, old truck to buy fruit in Modesto and elsewhere, and then we went to apartments knocking on doors and offering our product," said Mrs. Marta. 

At first, they did not have a good understanding of what was required to start their business.  "We consulted with the city to ask for help to sell legally, and of course, they asked for many documents," said Mrs. Marta.  The hardest thing for the Fuller family was to pay an insurance fee of $1,000.  "Of course, this was very difficult; all beginnings are very difficult when people are trying to make progress; there is almost no help."

Over the years, the business “El Hermano Fuller” has been changing.  Throughout the years sales have been down 70 percent.  But they do not give up.  “We are just trying to survive with hope that one day this will be better."  Business continues to operate, and they continue bringing products to their customers. 

Mrs. Maria Ortega has been a customer of El Hermano Fuller for over 17 years. "I like the quality of the fruit, you save money and it is brought to your house," said Mrs. Ortega.  Mrs. Ortega tells us that she goes more to El Hermano Fuller's business than she goes to other stores.  "Well not really, I always buy from them.  It's good because sometimes people cannot go to the store because they do not drive.” 

For Mr. Ken Arnold, it was the first time buying from El Hermano Fuller.  "It's the first time I bought from her.  I had a good deal."  Mr. Arnold bought around 40 pounds of cucumbers.  "You do not find many people who have 40 pounds of cucumbers," said Mr. Arnold. 

But not for all

Not everyone in East Palo Alto buys from El Hermano Fuller.  "There are things that my family and I need as Pacific Islanders, and there are things they do not have, I guess you can say, as being from the islands," said Liz Savusa. 

Mrs. Alicia, the daughter of Mrs. Marta, tells us that the business “El Hermano Fuller” buys their merchandise in San Francisco.  "There are some places in San Francisco where you get the product and skip on examination.  And there are places where we have the right to buy because the product is approved buying," said Mrs Marta.  "In order to buy produce from the market, the produce has to go through a series of tests.  First, the product has to pass the examination, and they can put it in the market.  Then there are people who check the produce and see if it’s good and ready to sell.  We will then buy the produce once it has passed examination." 

El Hermano Fuller's continues to function.  “Well it is not the same anymore, I know it has gone down, perhaps because of the economy or because of the new store," said Mrs. Maria.  One of her clients also feels the same way.  “Not all days are the same, they  vary.  There are good days and regular days," says Mrs. Alicia. 

Although the business “El Hermano Fuller” is not the same as before, they are still helping the community and bringing fruits and vegetables to their customers’ homes. 

- BY ANA BLANCO AND GABRIELA HERNANDEZ, YOUTH JOURNALISTS WITH EPA.NET; PHOTOS BY ANNE-MARIE MCREYNOLDS