Congratulations to Leah Mathiason for her recognition as 2023 West Sider of the Year!

“Leah Mathiason has been giving back to her community for years, so I am so excited to see her recognized for her selflessness, hard work, and justice-minded heart.  One project she has worked on is the Free Farmstand, a place where people can bring extra veggies they've grown, and the food is distributed to anyone walking by, for free. It's set up at Parque Castillo, and this year also at the Beautiful Laundrette, on Sundays from 4-6pm, from July-October. Leah came up with the concept of the Free Farmstand a few years ago, and has helped usher it into reality through time, sweat, farming knowledge, and her ability to motivate her neighbors.  She is also a vendor at the West Side Farmers Market, thus helping keep fresh, local food available for all of us.” – Ellie Leonardsmith, WSCO Health & Environmental Justice Organizer

Recognition in The Voice

"Leah Mathiason was recently named West Sider of the Year by the West Side Community Organization, which presents the award annually to honor a resident who has demonstrated leadership on a major issue or made valuable contributions to the community. She was nominated by executive director of the West Side Farmers Market, Laura Fredrickson-Gosewisch, for her work at the market and with Growing Resilience on the West Side (GROWS), a coalition between businesses and individuals committed to making healthy food accessible to everyone in the neighborhood.

'It’s nice to be recognized and seen by your community but it’s not work I do by myself,' said Mathiason. 'It’s about all of us working together.'

[...] 'Last year we were chatting with some folks who stopped by [our free farm stand] and they started to talk to each other, and it turned out they were neighbors who lived on the same block for 20 years and had never spoken to each other before,' she said. 'I think that’s what’s amazing about community spots like this. They are sort of intentional ways of bringing people together. It’s just one small way of building community and making our community stronger.'"