An urban farm is a farm created in a highly populated city or town. Typically urban farms grow produce, but some also include small animals such as chickens and goats. There are many urban farms across Atlanta, but not many on the campuses of faith communities! All the world’s religions call for us to care for Creation – the planet and all that inhabit it. The AEUFN is a direct response to caring for the earth and caring for and serving our neighbors.
Food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to an adequate food supply – healthy or otherwise. Food insecurity describes the intersection of financial instability and access to affordable food and drink options, instead of the physical issue of hunger. In 2018, an estimated 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure, equating to over 37 million Americans, including more than 11 million children.[1] (Source: https://hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/understand-food-insecurity/)
Urban farms have existed for a long time. There are also urban farm networks and groups across the United States. Few, however, incorporate a faith-based approach the way AEUFN does. The goal of AEUFN is to help faith communities turn unused land on their property as an urban farm, helping to end food insecurity in the metro-Atlanta area.
Your faith community, and you as an individual, can still engage with AEUFN. As we grow our network of urban farms, we will be seeking volunteers to help maintain the farms, harvest fruits and vegetable, and support the distribution of fresh produce to people and communities in need. Please visit our Join the Network page to sign up as a volunteer group.