Organic Urban Farming To Build Food Access And Employment Skills
The mission of Growing Homes is to support and build healthy communities so that everyone has good food and good jobs. At our organic, high-production, urban farms located in Englewood, our fourteen-week training program engages individuals who are eager to work but need a supportive environment to develop their strengths as employees. We involve participants in every aspect of farm production, including planting, harvesting, washing, weighing, packaging, and selling our produce to customers across Chicago. Our social enterprise model teaches skills such as project management, effective communication skills, personal responsibility, leadership, and teamwork to individuals with employment barriers like previous incarceration, homelessness, and substance abuse. More than 80% of graduates find jobs along Chicago’s food chain at urban farms, growing facilities, local food hubs, wholesalers, grocers, and high-end restaurants.
