About Us
Dare to Strive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting food justice, food sovereignty, and community self-sufficiency. We empower communities to take control of their food systems through free meals, hands-on cooking classes, food entrepreneurship programs, and agricultural education. Most of our programs focus on children and teenagers because we believe they are the future, and we see food and education as powerful catalysts for social change, building healthier, self-sufficient, and resilient communities.
Place Matters!
Why Oakland and Puerto Rico?
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
In Oakland, food inequality is widespread, with financial, geographic, and systemic barriers creating food deserts, especially in Black communities. Our programming includes free meal giveaways for houseless residents and a Cooking & Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program for youth. These workshops provide culinary skills, nutritional education, and food safety training, while also introducing business planning, marketing, and financial literacy to inspire young people to start their own food ventures. By combining food access with skill-building and entrepreneurship, we aim to foster economic independence, uplift local voices, and create lasting community impact.
PUERTO RICO
In Puerto Rico, decades of political and economic decisions have left the island importing 85% of its food, making it highly vulnerable to natural disasters like Hurricane Maria. Through Cocina Las Ancestras and our School Garden program, we partner with schools to create and maintain agroecological gardens, teaching students how to grow, harvest, and preserve food, save seeds, cook traditional meals, and make simple home remedies. By reconnecting youth to their ancestral roots and promoting sustainable agriculture, we strengthen local food systems, preserve cultural heritage, and cultivate resilient, self-sufficient communities.