FOOD SECURITY & RESIDENT ENTERPRISE DC Grows Hydroponics Lab, Urban Farm
Dominican Center is creating an urban farm. With the success of DC’s hydroponics lab, the orga- nization is building on a vision of bringing more agriculture to Amani, creating a rich, healthy future for its residents. “There is power in building self-sustainable communities,” said DC Execu- tive Director Maricha Harris. “Not only can urban agriculture and agriculture technology (AgTech) be leveraged to create access to fresh produce in our communities, but it can also be leveraged to create jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.” With continued growth in hydroponics and STEM education at DC, the organization is expanding out- side of the basement lab with a garage aquaponics unit and soil gardening on the building’s grounds thanks to donations from Ground Works Milwaukee. DC’s hydroponics lab opened in 2019 to support the Amani Revitalization Plan’s concentration areas of Education and Family Well-Being and Housing and Economic Development by provid- ing Amani residents of all ages access not only to fresh, hyper-local food, but as a means of health- ier lifestyles, lifelong learning and eventual finan- cial enterprise for residents – by residents. In the beginning the lab produced enough produce to share with residents and friends, and enough to sell to a chef who used fresh basil in his local restau-
rants. The lab closed during lockdown, but soon re-opened more glorious than before. The lab, which boasts some of the most advanced equipment in the country, is capable of growing 40,000 organic plants. In the past year, the hydroponics lab has grown to include STEM/STEAM classes for residents of all ages. This summer adults are training with Full Circle 26, Inc. CEO and founder Shelley Mathews in her new program called Growing Food for Food Sustainability and Health & Mental Wellness. The lab is also host to a Summer Hydroponics Program for middle schoolers taught by Mitchelle Lyle. The work on DC’s urban farm is only one part of what is happening around Milwaukee. The City of Milwaukee awarded Fresh Food Access Fund grants to seven Milwaukee organizations, includ- ing DC. The grants will increase the availability of healthy food options in under served areas. DC was awarded $25,000 which will be used to devel- op a micro-farm (small-scale, high-yield, sustain- ability-minded farming) to grow Amani’s AgTech Program to improve food security and economic development.
To learn more about our urban agriculture, visit https://www.dominican-center.org/hydroponics
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