Pittsburgh’s black urban gardeners and farmers help close the food security gap – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – From a food desert to a flourishing farm, Pittsburgh Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers are expanding their efforts to fill more stomachs and souls.

Dozens of boxes filled with fresh fruit and vegetables to give away to residents at the Manna Farmers Market house for free.

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Many of them do not have access to affordable and nutritious food.

“No questions asked,” said Raqueeb Ajamu-Osagboro, founder of Pittsburgh Black Urban Gardners and Farm. “You don’t have to show an id. You just go in and get what you need”.

Ajamu-Osagboro founded the organization in 2015 to help Black farmers overcome challenges and address food insecurity in Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

The group holds a free farmers market four times a month.

Through it, they serve thousands of families through a partnership with the American Heart Association.

“Transportation can be an issue, cost can be an issue, getting around on the bus can be difficult,” said Ellyana Gomez, a volunteer for the organization. “So this kind of gives them the option to go right into their backyard and give them the food they need.”
The group also has a 31,000 square foot farm on Monticello Road in Homewood, where they enrich their lives by teaching others different farming methods.

“We have an arcaded house to grow food all year round,” says Ajumu-Osagboro. “We have a beehive that is a bee farm. We have 12 hives. We have an orchard. We are planting more fruit trees.”

Now, they are expanding their footprint in the community.

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“We’re building a grocery store because Homewood hasn’t had a grocery store since 1995, right in this building is Manna’s House,” said Ajamu-Osagboro.

Ajama-Osagboro says the Freedom Foods partnership grocery store will open later this year.

But the group hopes shoppers will leave with more than just bags full of groceries.

“One thing about this organization, it’s driven by love, it’s driven by community, they want to take care of each other,” Gomez said. “Hopefully whenever people come to get food, they bring it home with them.”

“We hope they will take away, like our students, community engagement, love and service to our community, which is needed more than ever,” said Ajamu-Osagboro. over.

They are establishing solid roots in a community that aspires to grow.

House of Manna Farmers Market takes place every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 10am to 12pm

Amplify Church Farmers Market takes place every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month from 12pm – 3pm

You can attend the community meeting about the new store at the end of March.

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