Rooftop Roots

Rooftop Roots, a 2,000 square foot farm, is perched five stories atop the University District Food Bank which works to build a hunger free NE Seattle by providing them with reliable access to healthy food and life-changing resources. Rooftop Roots engages community members, customers and youth interns with intensive food production experience, food systems and nutrition education as well as a chance to bring home and enjoy fresh produce grown themselves.

Each summer ten interns are provided an eclectic learning opportunity spanning topics from beekeeping and vermicompost, to plant propagation and cooking. We aim to provide a community space for youth to thrive in a garden and social justice based environment while gaining knowledge and skills to promote healthy behaviors, further develop communication and teamwork skills, and foster personal confidence and inquiry. Outside of the garden, our focus includes time spent in the food bank space and with curricula regarding our community food system, poverty and food insecurity. We hope to encourage the young people in our community to be advocates for food justice and to take initiative in their family’s wellness through practical skills learned at the food bank.