South Chicago Farm, Urban Growers Collective

Rooted in growing food, our mission is to cultivate nourishing environments which support health, economic development, healing, and creativity through urban agriculture. Urban Growers Collective is a Black- and women-led non-profit farm in Chicago, Illinois working to build a more just and equitable local food system. Our approach trains and educates and prepares the next generation of farmers and food system innovators, stimulating local economies to create measurable public health improvements.UGC aims to address the historic inequities and structural barriers that exist in the food system predominately in low-income communities of color. We use urban agriculture as our tool and method to create new pathways for economic stability and abundance and to produce community and cultural impacts. At Urban Growers Collective we are cultivating new pathways to health that empower neighbors and communities to shape their own wellbeing. Weconnectour neighbors to local, nutritious, affordable, and culturally affirming food. Weinvestin developing local food economies through urban farming, job training, and education. Wejoineaters, growers and marketplaces, building long-term resilience to further divestment in Chicago’s communities of color. Our Fresh Moves Mobile Market, a bus-turned-mobile farmers market, brings affordable produce to schools, community centers, churches, and health clinics. We’re helping make good food accessible to Chicago’s communities of color. Urban Growers Collective cultivates nourishing environments where the passion for growing food in Chicago thrives from generation to generation. Our pathways to household wealth allow local families to grow together and connect through urban agriculture and the food system. Wespark a passionfor gardening through our Educare Preschool Farm Weeducate and empowerteens through our Youth Corps program, internships and apprentice programs CSW’s Youth Corps program engages 150+ youth each year on our farms. Teens expand their understanding of urban farming and deepen their personal development through an inquiry-based STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) curriculum. All participants receive a work stipend. Urban Growers Collective uses urban agriculture to develop local markets and cultivate pathways for historically disinvested Chicago communities to build economic wealth. Wefostera holistic local food system by and for our communities. Weemphasizethe important role of growers through programs like our Fresh Moves Mobile Market. UGC’s Grower Apprenticeship Program empowers emerging growers with foundational farm skills to work toward financially, environmentally, and socially sustainable farm operations. This three-year program includes hands-on training in urban agriculture production and cooperative business models. Urban Growers Collective creates pathways to healing and creativity by engaging Chicagoans in ancestral and cultural spiritual practices on land stewarded with those practices in mind. As a Black-led organization, weprovidesafe spaces for building mutually beneficial relationships founded on trust Wefostera multigenerational, multicultural, community devoted to the support of everyone’s healing The Urban Growers Collective Community Herbalism Apprenticeship offers the opportunity for participants to engage and build a relationship with plants to ultimately use them for personal, family, and community healing. Your generous contribution educates teens, provides land and training for new BIPOC farmers, and provides our communities with affordable, nutritionally dense, and equitably grown food. Chicago youth (ages 14-19) served through our seasonal Youth Corps program in 2025 pounds of produce harvested from our farms and distributed to the community in 2025 individuals started their journey in urban agriculture through our Internship program in 2025 staff members committed to promoting food equity and justice Keep up with wh