Providing Sustenance

Founded to combat rising food insecurity during the COVID pandemic, Buddy System MIA has since grown into a “diverse county-wide nonprofit serving over 5,000 people with access to free, healthy food” via its volunteer-powered Homebound Food Access Program deliveries, a signature network of strategically placed Community Fridges lovingly painted by local artists, and the Emergency Food Access Program pantry. 

AQUA Miami recently spoke with Buddy System MIA’s incredible new Executive Director, Valentina Sabalza, about the humanist values a hardscrabble-yet-love-and-light-filled Magic City childhood instilled in her, the career in urban agriculture and nonprofit leadership it inspired her to pursue, and how “what started as a job” at Buddy System MIA “quickly became a personal mission: supporting neighbors and building systems that meet real needs.” 

Tell me a little bit about your background growing up in Miami—the beauty and the challenges.

Growing up in Miami with a single mother meant that life was constantly shifting. We moved around a lot, and at one point even spent two years living in other states before eventually finding our way back home. During that time, I got to experience many different neighborhoods across the city before we finally settled in Wynwood—the place I still consider my true home.

There were certainly difficult moments growing up, but my mother always made it a point to show me the beauty of Miami. She was intentional about it. Whether it was a simple beach day, trying a new local restaurant, or spending time at places that felt like Miami staples—like Sunset Place or Bayside—she made sure we celebrated where we lived. Even when things were tight, she wanted me to appreciate the culture, the energy, and the diversity that make this city so special.

In high school, my family faced a hardship so difficult that, at the time, I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. There were moments when putting food on the table required desperate measures. It was an experience that opened my eyes to the realities that many families in our community quietly face every day. Looking back, those moments didn’t just shape my understanding of struggle. They planted the seed for the work I do now, ensuring that others in our city don’t have to face those same choices alone.

How did you end up involved with Buddy System?

I like to say Buddy System found me. I had just left a job in indoor farming and wanted to do work that directly served the community. A friend sent me an Instagram post about a Programming Coordinator role, and it felt like the perfect fit. I officially joined in August 2023, and what started as a job quickly became a personal mission: supporting neighbors and building systems that meet real needs.

It seems to me, from the outside, that Buddy System is so effective and adaptable, at least in part, because it has developed so organically and operates on a very granular, people-helping-people level. Is that how you see it?

Yes. I’ve been inspired by how many people quietly dedicate their time to the community. Buddy System grew from neighbors helping neighbors, and that grassroots spirit keeps the organization flexible and responsive.  As we expand, maintaining that ethos is essential. Scaling our work isn’t just about serving more people. It’s about keeping the heart of mutual care at the center. That’s also what guides my vision for our community center: a place where food, art, and gardens bring people together, co-creating support and abundance.

I love how the announcement of your promotion says food is about more than survival. In my opinion, one of the keys to eliminating scarcity—maybe paradoxically?—is that it has to be tied more deeply to an evolving culture. 

Food brings people to the table, but community keeps them there. Food is connection, creativity, and culture. My vision is to make food part of daily life, not just a resource: growing it, cooking it, sharing it. At our future community center, urban gardens, art, and communal meals will make abundance something we actively create together. When food becomes cultural and communal, scarcity loses its power, and thriving becomes possible.

What do you hope to accomplish with your tenure?

I hope to expand Buddy System’s reach by building systems that help more people without losing the personal, neighbor-to-neighbor care that defines us. I also want to create a community space where food, art, and urban gardening come together. A place that fosters connection, creativity, and collective care. Ultimately, I want our work to show that thriving communities aren’t just about meeting basic needs, but about cultivating abundance, culture, and opportunity for everyone.  

Finally, I assume it must be meaningful to you to do this work in your hometown—to keep faith with and give back to your community?

Absolutely! Doing this work here allows me to give back to the community that shaped me by creating opportunities, support systems, and spaces that I wish had existed when I was younger. It’s deeply personal because this is and always will be my home. I want to show up for my city in the same way it has always been here for me. 

To get involved, visit buddysystemmia.com.