Arizona Organizing Project Partners With Phoenix Businesses To Create Urban Community Farm at 1010 Community Center
Community Center Farm in Phoenix to Train and Serve Homeless Population
Phoenix, Ariz. (May 24, 2011) - With literally tons of fertile donated soil, Arizona Organizing Project (AZOP) will launch an innovative partnership of local businesses to create an urban community farm on Thursday, May 26, 2011 located at 1010 West Adams in Phoenix as part of AZOP’s Launch Week. The farm project will provide Phoenix’s downtown homeless population with easy access to locally-grown healthy food.
AZOP, committed to fostering healthy and sustainable communities organized and led by people emerging from homelessness, has partnered with Terry Ricketts and Jesse Sanchez of APS, Greg Peterson of the Urban Farm, Jim Beuerlein of GRO-WELL, Darren Chapman of Tigermountain Foundation, Phoenix Clean and Beautiful and plentiful outreach by AZOP’s peer groups and interns to initiate the 1010 Community Farm, a job retraining program focused on farming and yard design, edible landscape development and maintenance. “We’re going to transform the Capitol Mall and Woodland Neighborhoods into green plentiful urban farms, gardens and shaded homes,” says Scott Jacobson AZOP’s director of development.
On Thursday, May 26 at 7:00 a.m. Greg Peterson, urban farmer extraordinaire, will be sharing his experience and wisdom as he actively mentors a group of homeless volunteers and individuals. The hands-on learning will begin with the installation of a series of 10 raised bed gardens at the 1010 Community Center. Each bed is 6 by 12 feet and one foot deep. The beds will be used to grow vegetables for the community to eat. “This is an exciting project for me as it brings the notion of growing our own food to a deeper level by sharing it with the homeless population of our community. Teaching them ‘how to fish’ in a farming sense,” states Peterson.
There will also be a series of classes offered to community members to learn about the care and maintenance of plants and harvesting techniques. Along with this program, the community members will learn yard maintenance skills they can offer local residents through the AZ Organizing Project Office.
Jim Beuerlein of GRO-WELL donated 27 yards of Premium Potting soil; lumber for the raised beds was donated by Arizona Public Service; Phoenix Clean & Beautiful donated a brand new tiller; and Urban Farm founder Greg Peterson is donating his time and effort to assist with designing the program, mentoring and instruction.
Terry Ricketts, APS commented, “Building grassroots community partnerships is the strongest tool for developing healthy communities. We get very excited about community projects like this -- it’s individuals, business and organizations working hands on in the community is the best way to bring forth long-term change.”
AZOP needs expert farmers, tools, gloves, vegetable seeds, fruit trees, anything that goes with a farm would be welcomed! Do you know anyone who could donate their time to help train our willing novice farmers and teach farming in the Sonoran Desert where we have three full growing seasons a year?
About Arizona Organizing Project
The Arizona Organizing Project non-profit organization, operating under the 501c3 umbrella of the Atwood Health Foundation (EIN: 86-0975231), works with people currently living in chronic poverty to develop their skills and exercise their power, while supporting their efforts to take collective action to shape their own destiny.
1010 Community Center
AZOP - 1010 Community Center located at 1010 West Adams in Phoenix is a peer-run center led by formerly and currently homeless people that is a resource-rich environment for stable social enterprise development for homeless people who have a desire and aptitude to be social entrepreneurs. The work of these social entrepreneurs creates enterprises that improve the common good and solve a social problem in a new, more lasting and effective way than traditional approaches, while lifting them to sustainable prosperity.
Contact: Scott Jacobson, director of development for the Arizona Organizing Project and former executive director of Valley Leadership
Phone: 602-761-4273
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24, 2011
# # #
