Pittsburgh Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers Helping To Close Gap On Food Insecurity
They’re establishing strong roots in a community that’s hungry for growth.
By Briana Smith
KDKA
February 27, 2022
Excerpt:
From a food desert to a flourishing farm, the Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh are expanding their efforts to fill more stomachs and souls.
Dozens of boxes are filled with fresh fruits and vegetables to feed residents for free at the house of Manna Farmers Market.
Many of them don’t have access to affordable and nutritious food.
“No questions asked,” said Raqueeb Ajamu-Osagboro, the founder of Pittsburgh Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers. “You do not have to show ids. You just come in and take what you need.”
Ajamu-Osagboro created the organization back in 2015 to help Black farmers overcome challenges and tackle food insecurity in Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
The group holds free farmers’ markets four times a month.
Through this, they serve thousands of families through a partnership with the American Heart Association.
“Transportation might be an issue, cost might be an issue, getting back and forth on buses could be hard,” said Ellyana Gomez who volunteers with the organization. “So this kind of gives them the option to go right in their back yard and give them the food they need.”
