The Outstanding Community Organization award recognizes a group that strengthens its neighborhood. This year, it goes to Lopez Urban Farm in Pomona.
Lopez Urban Farm is a three-acre working farm in the heart of Pomona. It is, however, much more than a place to grow food. The farm offers locally grown produce and groceries, hands-on environmental education, and a welcoming green space where neighbors can gather.
The farm carries a meaningful name. It honors Ignacio Lopez, a civil rights trailblazer who founded the Spanish-language newspaper El Espectador in 1933 and used it to advocate for his community. That spirit of service runs through the farm's work today. Fruits and vegetables grown on site are shared with Pomona residents, with special care for low-income families, seniors, immigrants, and unhoused neighbors who often face the hardest barriers to fresh food.
Lopez Urban Farm also nurtures people, not just plants. Its programs include youth mentorship and teen peer counseling, mutual aid efforts like the community fridge and pantry, bilingual wellness gatherings, and cultural celebrations rooted in local tradition. A Community Wellness Project of the nonprofit Community Partners 4 Innovation, the farm operates on a pay-what-you-can, take-what-you-need model.
Farmer Stephen Yorba and Bianca Ustrell play central roles in this work, helping to guide the farm's programs and partnerships day-to-day. Their farm is built on a simple belief: We can feed ourselves and care for one another, together
We would love for you to help us celebrate Lopez Urban Farm at this year's Noche de las Luminarias, ActiveSGV's annual awards ceremony and gala. It is a warm evening of community and recognition for the people working toward a more sustainable, equitable, and livable San Gabriel Valley. Every ticket also helps support ActiveSGV's work across mobility, climate, health and wellness, and parks and greening.
Spend the evening with us on Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 6 to 9 PM at the Grapevine Arbor in San Gabriel. You can learn more about the event and reserve your tickets in advance. We would be so glad to see you there.
