Harvest time at the South Chicago Artists' Garden

Most of the food consumed in this country travels an average of 1,500 miles before it reaches our plate. It’s no surprise, then, that a growing number of urban residents want to get closer to the source of their food. Since food is one of our most direct, personal links with the environment, understanding where our food comes from can help us learn how to care for the earth, too.

Some of us are getting to know local farmers by shopping at farmer’s markets, joining CSA farms like Angelic Organics, and visiting local farms. As we eat more fresh and local foods, we’re also improving our nutritional health and helping prevent diet-related illnesses like obesity and diabetes. Yet some Chicago and Rockford residents still lack access to neighborhood supermarkets and have limited means to travel to alternative sources of fresh, healthy food.

Since our founding in 1998, Angelic Organics Learning Center has connected urban residents with local farms and worked to increase their access to fresh, healthy food. In 2002, we launched Roots & Wings, our youth gardening and leadership program in Rockford. The following year we expanded to Chicago to partner with Growing Home, an organic agriculture business providing job training for homeless and low-income people. Today, our programs in Chicago and Rockford have become a national model for urban agriculture.

Learn about our Chicago Urban Initiative.
Learn about our Roots & Wings Program in Rockford.