CITY SEEDS

New Roots participates in an expansive new project involving several non-profits and universities to increase food security in St. Louis. New Roots farms 1/3 of the new farm while providing mentorship, supervision, and training twice a week both at City Seeds Urban Farm and at Tower Grove Farmers Market.



Mission Statement: The City Seeds mission is to foster self-sufficiency in addicted and chronically mentally ill homeless; increase production and distribution of locally grown fresh food for low-income residents, and provide nutrition and food preparation/preservation programs.



The scope of the project is to:

• conduct a jobs training program for homeless battling drug addiction and mental illness
  
• help people grow their own food
  
• create markets for local farmers by delivering their produce to low-income neighborhoods
  

• Gateway Greening, lead organization
  
• St. Patrick Center
  
• Food Circles Networking Project, University of Missouri Extension
  
• St. Louis Master Gardeners
  
• New Roots Urban Farm
  
• Public Policy Research Center, University of Missouri, St. Louis
• Operation Food Search
  
• St. Louis Community College, Meramec Horticultural Department & Applied Sciences
  
• Missouri Botanical Garden
  
• Missouri Department of Transportation

The City Seeds Urban Farm is located near Union Station in downtown St. Louis. Tended by St. Patrick Center clients, these urban farmers seek to overcome homelessness, beat drug addiction and cope with mental illness. Mentored by Gateway Greening, New Roots Urban Farm, and Master Gardeners, the farmers take classes in horticulture while learning hands-on vegetable production and landscape maintenance. As the seasons change, farmers undergo a personal transformation as their experience instills teamwork, responsibility and self-confidence. Food grown is used in the CSA at New Roots Urban Farm, at McMurphy's Grille, a training restaurants interested in purchasing fresh produce, and sold at Tower Grove Farmers Market under the training of New Roots Urban Farm.



Other components of the program serve to improve the economic well-being of both rural farmers and urban residents. Church kitchens are host food preservation demonstrations to teach gardeners how to make the most of their harvest. Food Circles Networking Project, University of Missouri Extension connects rural farmers with inner city food distribution outlets to provide not only a new market for the farmers but a source for fresh, local and affordable produce. Community gardens are food distribution points, while hosting cooking demonstrations. Operation Food Search conducts monthly food preperation demonstrations at City Seeds Urban Farm. The public is welcome to attend.

Support is provided by USDA CSREES Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program of the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, USDA, Grant #2005-33800-16482.

Staff training provided by Horticultural Society of New York GreenHouse Program on Rikers Island and ACGA. Funds received from the USDA are matched at 100% by City Seeds Collaborators.