Balanced Root Farm

The Balanced Root Farm idea came into existence after losing my job in 2013 while pregnant with my second child. I never wanted to have that feeling of helplessness or fear again. I needed to find a way to leave a legacy for my children and at the same time serve my community in the most beneficial way.   

 I was raised in an area called Sunnyside in Houston Tx.  

  Sunnyside,  the oldest African-American community in south central Houston, was first platted in 1912 by H. H. Holmes. A low income community that was once referred to as "Black Wall Street" because of it's prosperous business activity.

A community where my grandfather built his home from ground up, where he built my grandmother her own beauty shop, where my father and his 8 siblings built their cafeteria style restaurant, where I attended grade school to high school, where my late uncle, David "Monk" Jones has a dish named after him from a popular Sunnyside restaurant called "TP's", where my friends and I walked to Citgo on Bellfort and Scott to get egg rolls and wing dinners from Timmy Chans religiously and where I plan to make a difference. 

 Despite the great memories I have of my community, Sunnyside has been lodged in a lengthy economic decline for the past 20+ years. 

 The median household income here is $27,000, and much of it is a food desert, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That means a high number of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store.

  While some argue that obesity is a result of poor choices made by an individual, there are factors that influence these decisions that may be out of an individual’s control. Low income communities like Sunnyside tend to lack supermarkets and may not provide adequate safety for exercise, causing residents to live unhealthy lifestyles that put them at greater risk for obesity. 

 For those who live in low income communities like myself, transportation may be an issue or time may not be in abundance, therefore the proximity of fast food restaurants and convenience stores may be the easiest way to get food on the table.

The marketing tactics used by fast food restaurants in lower income communities also contribute to high consumption of fast food in low income communities. 

  With Balanced Root Farm our vision to have land access and ownership would give us the opportunity to not only grow our own produce but to create and teach a life of sustainability.  

Our focus is to provide the community with affordable fresh organic produce rather than food that has been  processed, canned, bagged, or boxed.   We want the Sunnyside community to actually have an  option to eat organic and also adopt healthier eating habits. 

 I don’t have the generational wealth that would typically allow a person to purchase land, but this is not an unattainable goal with your help and support of my community.  Money raised will go towards securing land to farm and also land to build our own brick and mortar store location in Sunnyside.  Your support will allow for healthier food options in a federally qualified food desert.

 Some of the perks of helping us make Balanced Root Farm a reality are:

• Shuttle buses for residents that live up to six miles from the market

• 15% percent discount for senior citizens age 60 and over

• Grocery delivery service for subscription box holders

• Care package programs for homeless veterans

 •Raised bed garden installations for families looking to grow food in their   backyards

• Work-study/Scholarship program for high school students

• Job programs for felons

• Monthly cooking demos

• Monthly community exercise classes

 And so much more!!!

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