Urban Roots Announces the Purchase of the East Austin Farm

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are proud to preserve this land and to make this long-term commitment to not only the work we do, but to the people and partners in East Austin that we serve.

Urban Roots is thrilled to share that we recently purchased our East Austin farm! After serving as our home for over a decade, Urban Roots is honored to plant our roots even deeper in East Austin and make it a permanent part of the organization. For us and many others, the East Austin farm has always been a place to escape, a sanctuary, a way to nourish the community, and a place to build community. Urban Roots Board Chair Erin Fohn said, “This farm has been at the heart of our organization since inception, and we’re extremely proud and humbled to maintain a home that allows us to continue to serve our neighbors in East Austin. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are proud to preserve this land and to make this long-term commitment to not only the work we do, but to the people and partners in East Austin that we serve.” 

Urban Roots doesn’t just grow food, it’s so much more than that. Our mission is to work with youth leaders to grow and share fresh food and build a community dedicated to food equity. Not only is Urban Roots growing for our community and supporting youth leaders so they can be food justice change-makers, but we’re also increasing our food access efforts, and growing our physical footprint and team to better support the needs of our community. Purchasing the farm helps secure our future in contributing to a food system that is more sustainable, equitable, and just. 

We’d like to take a moment to thank and honor the long-time supporters and Board Members of Urban Roots and everyone involved to make this farm purchase possible. We’d also like to extend our gratitude to Board Member Sergio Negrete, who championed this farm purchase. Sergio added, “This piece of property has been very special for Urban Roots for the past 10+ years. I’m extremely happy for the organization as this beautiful location will allow Urban Roots to continue doing amazing things for youth and our community for years to come.” Last but not least, a huge thanks also goes out to our attorney Jerry Webberman, for his legal guidance throughout this process. We couldn’t have done it without you! 

Looking forward, Urban Roots is focused on the busy spring and summer season ahead! We are excited to host our signature event of the year, Tour de Farm, on May 11th, and we hope to see you then (tickets are now on sale)! 

Learn More About Urban Roots and Our Growth Over the Years:

It all began with just one field and 15 teenagers. And we’ve been growing every day since. Since 2008, Urban Roots has graduated over 570 youth leaders, awarded $758,000 in youth stipends, grown 415,000 pounds of food, and donated 185,000 pounds of that beautiful produce to our Food Access Partners. Additionally, in partnership with the City of Austin, we also grew from one to two farms. Our new Southeast Austin farm enables us to grow even more food and become an active member of a vibrant community that all too often faces barriers to accessing fresh food. 

Every part of the Urban Roots family, from our teams working on the farms to our broad family of supporters, does their part to make a more just food system. That means making Austin a city where everyone has equitable access to healthy, fresh food that is accessible, culturally appropriate, and nutritious. And leading the way is a group of empowered youth, equipped with the knowledge and skills to guide their own lives and to create positive change in their communities. 

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