Brian Stephens, Urban Roots Executive Director, making food shares with produce on the Urban Roots East farm.
A Letter from Brian Stephens, Executive Director of Urban Roots
Dear Friends,
As September ushers in the back-to-school season, it also marks Hunger Action Month, a time to shine a spotlight on the urgent issue of food insecurity in our communities. While the school year brings renewed focus on learning, at Urban Roots, we remain deeply committed to ensuring all of us have access to healthy and affordable fresh foods year-round, hand in hand with our youth and our community. And the need has never been more pressing.
This month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its annual report on food security in the U.S., and the findings are alarming. Texas has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the nation at 16.9 percent—a staggering 4.5 percent higher than the national average. In Texas, more than 1 in 6 households face food insecurity, with approximately 1.8 million families, including 5.1 million Texans, at risk of hunger.
Urban Roots is committed to making healthy, affordable fresh food accessible to everyone, not just for today but for generations to come. Since our founding, we’ve empowered nearly 700 young people through learning and leadership opportunities through the power of farming, compensating them with $865,000 in stipends. We pay our youth because we believe in valuing their contributions and investing in their futures. By doing so, we equip them with essential life skills, build their confidence, and foster a deep sense of responsibility for creating change in their communities.
This year alone, we worked with 76 young leaders, and the impact is undeniable. 85 percent of them now see themselves as more confident leaders, with 97 percent reporting improved social and emotional skills critical for success in leadership, relationships, and professional careers. 92 percent of our youth feel more empowered to address food justice issues and increase food access in their communities.
And the true magic of Urban Roots is that the fruits of our youth’s growth are literally feeding our community.
While cultivating young leaders, we distributed 111,000 servings (21,000 pounds) of fresh produce, with 97 percent of our harvest feeding more than 250 households right here in our community. This incredible impact was made possible with the help of 800 dedicated volunteers from 91 zip codes, who contributed 2,255 hours of service to our cause.
To say we couldn’t do it without you would be an understatement. Your continued support fuels our mission and allows us to grow, nourish, and empower young people and our community.
Thank you for working with us to give our neighbors access to nutritious, delicious quality food—together, we are making a lasting difference.
We Grow Together.
Brian Stephens
Executive Director, Urban Roots
