Whatever your mission may be, Freight Farms can help you bring positive change to your community.
Join the growing network of organizations with a Freight Farm!
“I think the possibilities of what this farm process and programming can do for different types of communities and nonprofits is invaluable. If y’all can do it, jump in and do it, because it’s been life-changing for so many people.”
— Karen Arredondo, San Antonio Clubhouse
Democratize Access to Fresh Food
Combat food insecurity
Create equal access to fresh food in all communities — big, small, urban, rural, and every one in between.
Reduce food insecurity by providing steady access to fresh, healthy food
✓ Promote health by providing nutritious food to those who need it
✓ Teach individuals in food deserts about nutrition and how food grows
✓ Reform food deserts
✓ Bring fresh food to under-served communities
✓ Serve healthy meals at your soup kitchen, food pantry, community kitchen, or cafeteria
“People, especially children, who don’t have consistent access to healthy food are going to have trouble focusing in school; if they’re hungry all day they can’t really think about anything else.”
— Jackie Roth, Innovations & Development Director at Lotus House
Workforce Development
Valuable employment opportunity
Create workforce development programs and meaningful jobs for marginalized communities
Provide valuable work experience
✓ Engage underemployed and marginalized populations
✓ Opportunities to learn a variety of work and life skills
✓ Teamwork, problem-solving, time management, business, sales, and marketing
✓ Serve communities such as BIPOC, veteran, disabled, formerly incarcerated, and mentally ill individuals
✓ Open up access to a wide variety of industries — including food production, Ag Tech, horticulture, data analytics, indoor farming, and more
“Unemployment for the Autism population is 80-90%, and the jobs available are often meaningless and isolated. We re-designed supported employment, creating a model completely centered around the amazing individuals who work at our farms.”
— Zach Zepf, Founding Partner of Zeponic Farms
Foster Health & Healing
The farm is a space for solace
repetitive motion
releases anxiety to soothe stress
working with hands
produces serotonin, contributing to emotional stability
peer support programs
help recovery and alleviate feelings of isolation
Cultivate a safe space to encourage mental well-being and personal growth.
Therapy, rehabilitation, and mental health
✓ Repetitive, hands-on work makes for a therapeutic experience
✓ A place for solitude or meaningful connection with others
✓ Offer opportunity to try something new and gain confidence
✓ Engage trauma survivors, veterans, individuals experiencing mental illness, individuals recovering from addiction, individuals with disabilities, and more
✓ The farm is quiet, with pumps and running water creating soothing background noise
“While I was working on the [hydroponic] system … I would catch myself smiling. I decided to explore this phenomenon more deeply; in talking with several of my clients I learned that many of them experienced the same type of mood shift while gardening. That was the lightbulb moment.”
— Don Tobul, Owner & Founder of OD Greens
Resources
Helpful Resources
Project Planning
A guide on how to start a nonprofit farm, from concept to delivery
Crops
So, what can you grow?
Webinars
On-demand interviews with nonprofit farmers
Blogs
More inspiration on how to use Freight Farms for good
Case Studies
Learn from nonprofits and organizations using Freight Farms to further their mission.
Case Studies Gallery
Farm for Good Booklet
Learn more about how you can use a Freight Farm to bring fresh, healthy food and meaningful opportunities to your nonprofit.
Ready to get started?
San Antonio, Texas
Freight Farming is an opportunity for members of San Antonio Clubhouse to be empowered and overcome mental health challenges.
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