Urban Roots
AFWA Grant: $5,000
Urban Roots uses food and farming to transform the lives of young people and inspire, engage, and nourish the community. With its 3.5-acre farm in East Austin, the nonprofit provides 42 kids with paid internships serving 14,000 people with produce sales and through donations of farm-grown produce to those in need.
Each year, its goal is to grow 25,000 pounds of produce. 40-percent of the harvest supports local soup kitchens and food pantries, and the remainder sells at farmers’ markets, CSAs, and wholesale.
Grant funding allowed this innovative and dynamic food program to update its Educational Farm Tour curriculum and align its youth leadership program with core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Through this support, Urban Roots Interns grow into some of Austin’s youngest leaders, advocating for a sustainable and healthy food system for all.