ST. LOUIS — From their perch on top of 3224 Locust, overlooking downtown St. Louis to the east, Urban Harvest-StL is in the harvest season. Residents of St. Louis are reaping the benefits what the organization has sown.
Urban agriculture is trending around the country. St. Louis is no exception. Urban Harvest-StL is preaching the benefits of sustainability and food security.
Katie Houck serves as executive director.
“We typically grow around 5,000 pounds of food a year that is distributed through nonprofit partners. We are trying to produce healthy, organically grown produce in a very hyper-local situation.”
Urban Harvest-STL will host a ‘Raise the Roof’ fund-raising gala, Oct. 25. The event will be held on the roof, of course, and in the ballroom, below.
“It’s a time for us to inform people of what we’re doing,” said Houck, “but also to celebrate with them all the successes of our season.”
Urban Harvest-STL was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the TEGNA Foundation. TEGNA is the parent company of 5 On Your Side.
“We launched a new farmer and training program,” said Houck. “That's a nine-month program that trains people that are interested in going into agriculture for a living. That TEGNA Foundation grant allowed us to provide different opportunities to that group as well as our eight-week apprenticeship group.”
The TEGNA Foundation is not the only grant distributing organization to take notice of Urban Harvest-StL, lately. The 501C-3 also received a grant through the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge.
“It really motivates us to continue to do that work in the community,” said Houck, “not necessarily for the recognition, but because it is work that needs to be done. And that is being recognized by more than just us in this community.”
With six locations and growing, the Urban Harvest-StL “Raise the Roof” gala will include small bites featuring fresh ingredients from the farm.