GREENVITALIZE URBAN GROWERS is a cooperative-owned enterprise committed to food justice, urban agriculture, education and entrepreneurship. We seek to address urban poverty and boost economic development by creating a local food cluster that builds pride, fosters entrepreneurship and creates jobs. Our goal is to advocate for local food system initiatives, programs and policies that provide opportunities for upward mobility and a higher incomes for disadvantaged, underserved populations throughout the United States.
Current research strongly indicates that local food systems and food entrepreneurship improve the health and wealth of communities by providing access to healthy, affordable foods and employment. Local food systems provide economic payback to local neighborhoods through entrepreneurship which creates jobs, provides a tax base and improving the health outcomes of families.
GREENVITALIZE URBAN GROWERS is owned, managed and operated by worker / owners dedicated to advancing sustainable community development by providing people from all backgrounds, equal access to healthy, high-quality, safe and affordable food.
GREENVITALIZE URBAN GROWERS engage the community by providing hands-on training, demonstrations, outreach and technical assistance through the development of local community food systems that help people grow, process, market and distribute food in a sustainable manner.
Our vision is to become a global leader and innovator of neighborhood food systems with an emphasis on vertical growing techniques for maximizing yields in a limited growing space.
“ Local food systems are also often assumed to have positive economic impacts on local communities because by consuming locally produced foods, residents will keep more dollars in the community. While the argument has some appeal, the reality is that it depends on the economics of local food production and the linkages between local producers and the rest of the local economy.”
— Johnson T., Rossi J., Hendrickson M., Cantrell R., Scott, J.R.: Economic Impacts of Local Food Systems in the Rural Midwest: Evidence from Missouri and Nebraska, Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting, July 31, 2014, New Orleans, La.
Co-Founder, Howard Lucas, has several years experience researching aquaponics technology and urban agriculture techniques. He has over 10 years of technology advisory experience leading large corporations and strategy development.