How to Provide Good Food Through Growing Solutions

December 11, 2021December 16, 2021 Mike Nowak Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project, environment, food deserts, gardening, Growing Solutions Farm, Peggy Malecki, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, Urban Autism Solutions

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(December 12, 2021) The holidays can be difficult. Shall I count the ways? You know the drill. Family stress, job stress, financial stress, and now, a pandemic. A perfect stew of anxiety. However, the holidays are also a blessing. And I don’t mean that in a religious way. The holidays often help us focus on folks who are less fortunate. At least they should. Heaven knows there is more than enough pain and suffering to go around. A lot of that involves food insecurity. Some of it is about people who traditionally have been excluded from mainstream society. Today we talk about growing solutions to fix those problems.

Yes, I appropriated the phrase “growing solutions.” It comes from Growing Solutions Farm, which is featured on our show today. But when we talk about helping others through food initiative, the phrase “growing solutions” is a good one. So, let’s start with them.

Located on Chicago’s near west side, Urban Autism Solutions helps young adults with autism and related disorders build a better life. They run community programs like the West Side Transition Academy and the 1.2-acre Growing Solutions Farm. Julie and Michael Tracy founded the organization in 2012, following a crisis with their own autistic son, John. They realized that after high school, life can be difficult for autistic teenagers. So, they created a group that provides residential, vocational, and social solutions for young adults.

Growing Solutions Farm

Then, Growing Solutions Farm started in 2013 as a 900 square foot plot. Today, the 7,000 square foot operation sells restaurant-quality produce at it’s on-site farm stand two days a week. Also, It stocks farm-stand pop-ups in the community through a CSA program that also provides produce to local businesses. Proceeds from these sales directly support vocational programming at the farm. What is that programming? Students learn how to build raised beds, prepare soil, tend compost piles and harvest and prepare food for sale. They gain important transferrable job skills. They learn to follow directions, communicate effectively with co-workers and supervisors, and handle complex tasks.

Tucker Kelly is the lead grower on the farm. He joins us this morning. Kelly manages everything related to the farm. That includes landscaping, scheduling staff, students, volunteers and farm stands. It involves ensuring the safe handling of produce. In addition, he works closely with young adults with autism and related disabilities from Chicago Public Schools and UAS residents at the farm.

Remember, meanwhile, that it’s the holiday season. So, why not donate to Urban Autism Solutions? Here’s the link.

The Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project

The Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project is another “growing solution.” However, this more about transporting food to underserved neighborhoods. Basically, it is connecting healthy food with the people who need it. And the method is a no-emissions vehicle. Why? According to the USDA, about 2.3 million people (or 2.2 percent of all US households) live more than one mile away from a supermarket and do not own a car. Enter Bob Kopach, Executive Director and Founder of EFMFSP.

Bob worked in the electric shuttle industry. Eventually, he came up with the idea of transforming street legal, low speed electric vehicles into mobile farm stands. He writes,

The Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project simply wants to help organizations take healthy fruits and vegetables from A to B — senior living facilities, housing communities, schools or just like an ice cream truck, make stops in various neighborhoods — anywhere their local underserved residents might not be able to get to a healthy food source because of distance, age, lack of funds, lack of transportation or a disability.

First, an organization presents a need. Then, donors “adopt” a vehicle for the group. It ain’t exactly cheap–$16,500 or so. But the fee covers the base vehicle cost, farm stand design/build-out/ graphics production, charging system, vehicle training and on-going program administration. You can donate to this not-for-profit by calling 312-852-0132. Or write to bkop64@gmail.com. Kopach also joins us this morning.

How to Provide Good Food Through Growing Solutions

Growing Solutions Farm

The Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project

More Growing Solutions

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