Rising Women

A Crossroads Social Enterprise Project

FOOD JUSTICE AT CROSSROADS

Helping to ensure that the benefits and risks of where, what, and how food is grown and produced, transported and distributed, accessed and eaten are fairly shared. Rising Women works toward an important social goals by empowering women to make a difference in the community.

Social Enterprise

Empowering Women through Food & Entrepreneurship

Rising Women is a social enterprise project run by the women of Crossroads and community volunteers who use locally donated fruit to make marmalade, preserves, granola, kombucha, herbed lemonade and specialty salts. Working together, women  learn successful business practices for operating in a sustainable framework. Rising Women not only actively combats the problem of thousands of pounds of fruit wasted each year in California backyards, but also provides revenue for the food justice program at Crossroads.The Rising Women program is a testament to the idea that businesses are fully capable of selling delicious, unique products, building community, benefitting the planet, and still bringing in profit.

Core Values

  • Equality: All who are involved in Rising Women work together as equals.
  • Sustainability: We use seasonal, donated fruit to promote the best interests of the planet
  • Education: Learning takes place in the kitchen and at our selling platforms.
  • Community: We build community in the kitchen and at our selling venues.
  • Opportunity: We provide training opportunities for women.

Products (Subject to Season/Availability)

Our products represent the women of Crossroads as they work to transition back to life outside of prison. Through selling our products at local vendors and public platforms such as the Claremont Forum’s Farmers & Artisans Market, we are able to educate the community about the realities of the criminal justice system. Interacting with the community and working in the commercial kitchen provides Crossroads women with the training and skills for working in a sustainable industry. All of our profits go back to supporting the Crossroads women and running the Rising Women enterprise, making our business first and foremost social justice oriented. We not only have delicious products, but one that educates the public and helps the women who need help most.

Products (Subject to Season/Availability)

5-Spice Loquat
Apple Lemon Verbena Preserves
Apricot Mint
Blood Orange Chile Marmalade
Brazilian Guava Jelly
Fig Rosemary Jam
Grape Conserve
Grapefruit Nasturtium Marmalade
Lemon
Lemon Lavender Marmalade
Peach Chile
Persimmon Butter
Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Pineapple Guava Coulis
Tri-Citrus Marmalade

Herbs de Provence
Orange Sugar
Perisan Lime Salt.

Granola
Blood Orange Kombucha
Hibiscus Tea Kombucha
Lemon Kombucha
Tangerine Kombucha
Mexican Hot Carob Drink
Blood Orange Hairclips