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Friday Free Share Distribution
Photo: Lisa Edmonson

This year, in an effort to address food insecurity, our New Roots staff distributed a remarkable 12,500 pounds of produce to 300 community members across the South Bronx Farm & Queens Garden. 

Behind the over 1,400 baskets of produce we harvest are the supplies we use to harvest each vegetable with care. Supplies have been the backbone of our year-round operations, allowing us to ensure a healthy and abundant harvest.  

We invite you to take a Peek at our Supply Shed 

Farming at both sites begins with carefully selected seedlings, seeds, and healthy soil, supported by sturdy tools such as wheelbarrows, shovels, and irrigation hoses. Our wheelbarrows are used to move compost into raised beds, irrigation hoses to keep our 41 crop beds watered, and harvest knives to prepare produce for our summer and fall markets. Did you know our team needs thousands of seeds across both sites!? With your donation, you can support our staff to help them access the appropriate tools to sustain our operations and holistic farming activities. See our menu of supplies for how your contribution can help us maintain our supply shed, every donation truly counts!  

Supplies for a Sustainable Harvest: Pest Management and Cover Crops 

Our New Roots team utilizes advanced systems such as integrated pest management and cover crops to keep our Bronx farm and Queens Garden thriving year after year. Integrated pest management uses eco-friendly methods to control pests without relying heavily on chemicals, protecting both our plants and the environment. Cover crops made from rye, clover, or other ground covers, are carefully planted in our 41 crop beds during the fall to restore nutrients and protect the soil during the winter.  

Did you know we produce about 2-3 tons of compost across both sites to keep everything nourished?! 

Your donation to our Sustainability Supplies can make a long-term difference ...  

Together, these contributions towards our sustainability efforts can help us restore soil health and protect future harvests. 

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Community members getting ready to water the soil with watering cans at IRC in NY Community Queens Garden
Photo: IRC in NY

Supplies Enhance Our Programming 

In 2024, we were able to host 15 workshops and demonstrations, which would not have been possible without funding for supplies as well as the talent of our community chefs. For our cooking demos, crates are used to bring fresh produce from the crop beds, knives and cutting boards are used to prepare vegetables for tastings, and portable stoves allow chefs to showcase healthy recipes. We are able to provide demonstrations on nutritional recipes, budget-friendly cooking, and food justice. Our demos provide the community with access to fresh, healthy food, while fostering cultural exchange and healing. 

Equip New Roots: Your Gift can restore New Roots Operations 

Our IRC in New York New Roots Farm and Garden, is an important community hub where food, culture, and wellbeing come together. Throughout the years, community members have poured their time and dedication into helping rebuild our garden beds, plant climate-appropriate crops, and share knowledge with other urban farm partners in the city. Our community members turn to our New Roots program to create food memories, which has especially helped refugees, immigrants, and migrants stay connected to their roots...  

But to keep our impact growing, we need your support

Please consider donating to our New Roots donor drive to help replenish our supply shed and maintain our staff’s operating capacity so we can make every harvest and workshop count. Every week, over 300 community members and their families rely on New Roots for our food market, cooking demos, mental health workshops, and access to green space in the South Bronx and Queens. 

Article Written and Developed by Economic Empowerment Intern Penglu Duan & Development Manager, Malin Evertsz Mendez