When James M. Cox Foundation Chairman Jim Kennedy envisioned local food as a tool to build community in 2015, he reached out to Atlanta Community Food Bank Founder Bill Bolling. Together they saw an opportunity to support and connect gardeners and farmers, and Atlanta nonprofit Food Well Alliance was born. Since then, the Cox Foundation has committed more than $16.7 million in funding, including a new donation to Food Well Alliance of $2.1 million.

This significant commitment from the Cox Foundation has empowered Food Well Alliance to strengthen metro Atlanta’s local food system over the past seven years through a growing network of community gardens and urban farms. The nonprofit has supported growers at 195 gardens and farms in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. The latest round of funds are coming at a time when they are especially needed.

Jim Kennedy says it has been rewarding to see the impact gardens have had on communities. “Food Well Alliance is connecting growers, gardeners and farmers who provide locally grown food to the people in their communities,” said Kennedy. “We are proud to support their efforts.”

“Local food is top of mind, whether it’s families growing their own vegetables at community gardens to offset rising food costs, or purchasing produce at farmers markets for healthier options,” said Kate Conner, executive director of Food Well Alliance. “The interest in urban agriculture that reached new heights during the pandemic has only increased with food supply chain issues. This funding from the Cox Foundation directly impacts our ability to equitably meet the increased demand for locally grown food.”

THE IMPACT

Since 2015, Food Well Alliance resources have reached 150 community gardens, 45 urban farms and 50 local food organizations. In addition to providing resources for growers, Food Well Alliance opens the door for community members to connect with local food by attending events, volunteering and donating. To date, more than 2,000 volunteers have served alongside 2,500 individual growers at community gardens. Through the annual Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign, gardeners have donated over half a million pounds of fresh produce to local food pantries. More than 3,000 people have attended the annual Soil Festival which celebrates healthy soil for growing healthy food.

FRUITFUL INVESTMENT

In partnership with the national nonprofit The Giving Grove, Food Well Alliance expanded its Orchard Project planting 281 trees, vines and bushes at 17 new orchards in 2022. With the new plantings, there are now more than 100 orchards at community gardens, parks and other growing sites across metro Atlanta. Through the Giving Grove partnership, at least 10 new orchards will be planted each year with fruit, berry and nut varieties and maintained by growers trained on holistic techniques that avoid artificial pesticides and fertilizers. Disease resistant and native species are prioritized. A significant portion of the produce from the gardens and farms will be donated to those facing food insecurity.

AGRICULTURE MEETS CITY PLANNING

In 2019, Food Well Alliance partnered with the Atlanta Regional Commission to launch its City Agriculture Planning program. East Point and Alpharetta were the first two cities to be selected, with East Point now in the implementation phase and Alpharetta in the planning phase. The call for the next city will come in fall of 2022.

EQUIPPING THE NEXT GENERATION

Food Well Alliance is educating up-and-coming growers through Compost Connectors, an innovative new program that utilizes the compost cycle to teach multiple facets of urban agriculture. The program was launched in 2021 in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Marietta City Schools, Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture, and Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. In its first year alone, Compost Connectors has provided educational experiences for more than 1,800 K-12 students.

“Ultimately, we are working with local growers and stakeholders towards our vision of an equitable system of sustainable urban agriculture in which everyone can participate and benefit,” said Bill Bolling, chairman of Food Well Alliance. “This wouldn’t be possible without the high level of investment that the James M. Cox Foundation makes in our work.”