Green Urban Lunch Box helps to provide fresh, healthy food to Utahns in need.
One way they do that is to revitalize urban spaces in order to plant food through a program called Back-farms. Gardens are planted in the yards of seniors at no cost, they just provide the space and the water. Volunteer apprentices help them build, cultivate and maintain the organic gardens.
There are 44 of these located in seniors' backyards, and throughout the season the apprentices socialize with the seniors too, so it's a win-win situation.
Food grown in these gardens are distributed three ways: to the homeowner, to the volunteer Garden Apprentice and to free farmstands at Salt Lake County Senior Centers.
In 2021 more than 21,000 pounds of food was grown and nearly 7,500 pounds of it was distributed at senior centers.
Back-Farms has the support of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah. Regence partners with several nonprofits to tackle food insecurity.
They have matched employee donations to raise $218,000 to help fight food insecurity in Utah.
If you're interested in a Garden Apprenticeship with Green Urban Lunch Box, apply at thegreenurbanlunchbox.com.
