Project Roots

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Phoenix (FUA)

Region

Northern America

Short description of the intervention

Project Roots is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable living and enhancing food security in South Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 2020 in response to rising food insecurity—an issue impacting one in seven Arizonans—Project Roots aims to provide lasting solutions through community education, accessible fresh produce, and supportive services for vulnerable populations.
Central to Project Roots’ mission is its work in community gardening. The organization manages and maintains several community gardens, including 20 reserved rows at the Spaces of Opportunity Garden, where individuals and families can cultivate their own produce. Through these gardening spaces, Project Roots empowers community members to grow their own food, promoting self-sufficiency and healthier food choices.
Education is a cornerstone of Project Roots' outreach. The organization offers hands-on gardening classes, workshops, and educational resources that teach sustainable food production practices. A significant part of this educational effort focuses on South Phoenix's youth, helping them understand where their food comes from and how to grow it, fostering both awareness and skills that encourage lifelong healthy habits.
Project Roots also works to ensure that fresh, locally grown produce reaches the wider community. By distributing produce through farmers' markets, produce bags, and partnerships with local food banks and soup kitchens, Project Roots provides a consistent source of nutritious food to those who need it most. The produce bags, often delivered to community centers and low-income housing areas in Phoenix, help bridge the gap for those with limited access to fresh food.
In addition to its food-centered programs, Project Roots extends its support to include essential services such as food assistance, hygiene items, and temporary shelter, making it a vital resource for individuals and families experiencing hardship. (1-5, 8-14)

Website of the intervention

https://www.projectrootsaz.org/our-story

Principal problems

Land use and Socio-economic change

Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods

Unequal availability and access to public green spaces

Health, Well-being and Social cohesion

Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)

Disconnection from nature

Poor community engagement

Resource Scarcity and Competition

Food insecurity due to disruptions in food production and distribution

Other

Please specify other principal problem

Educational knowledge about sustainable food practices (1)

Implementation area characterization

Climate

Arid (Desert, Steppe)

Ecosystem

Deserts

Urban or built environment

Address

1200 W Vineyard Rd
Phoenix, 85041
United States

Location

The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).

Area boundary (map-based)

NBS area image

Source of NBS area image

Source: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Project+Roots/@33.3865645,-112.0889524,764m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x872b116f2555c733:0x7be5a32c74df734b!8m2!3d33.3852054!4d-112.0873365!16s%2Fg%2F11jyd70t1_!5m2!1e2!1e4?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTEwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Area description

Urban (main city)

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Unknown

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

unknown

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2020

End date of the intervention

ongoing

Present stage of the intervention

Ongoing

2. Objectives of the intervention

Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

The Project Roots initiative has defined the following goals:

To create a community garden and an orchard where local residents can grow their own food and are involved in management processes related to the garden
To address food insecurity by providing affordable access to fresh, locally grown produce.
To educate and empower community members to grow their own food and improve their well-being.
To teach the importance of sustainability by promoting sustainable living practices through farming.
To support financial self sufficiency of the community involved by allowing access to local markets to sell produce
(1, 3-5, 9-10, 12-13)

Key Priorities

Social Justice and community

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Green space creation and/or management

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Improving physical health

Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)

Effective management

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Environmental education

Sense of community and community engagement

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Economic development: agriculture

Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)

Sustainable consumption

Sustainable production

Food scarcity / security

Implementation activities and NBS focus

Implementation activities

Project Roots has implemented several key activities to achieve its goals and address the challenges of food insecurity, community empowerment, and sustainability in Phoenix, Arizona.
1. Established the community gardens in South Phoenix, providing gardening plots for 18 families, and offering educational resources and support for community members to grow their own food.
2. Increased their farming space to 20 rows by adding a 2,500 gallon [9463.5 liter] water tank that helps them store their weekly ration of water to acquire more land (9).
3. Created a farmers' market to sell fresh produce grown by Project Roots and other local farmers; Distribution of produce bags to individuals and families in need; Partnerships with local food banks and soup kitchens to provide food assistance
4. Provides gardening classes and workshops for both youth and adults; Teaching community members about sustainable farming practices, nutrition, and healthy living; Promoting awareness of the importance of local food production and consumption
5. Organized events and activities to foster community involvement and social interaction such as planting 200 citrus trees at the Spaces of Opportunity garden (20).
6. Collaborated with other local organizations and initiatives to expand reach and impact (6-7, 9, 13, 17, 19, 22).

Type of NBS project

Creation of new green areas

Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments)

Knowledge creation and awareness raising

Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management)

Educational and awareness raising programs

Improved governance of green or blue areas

Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Community gardens and allotments

Community gardens

Horticulture

Amenities offered by the NBS

Unknown

Design elements for well-being

Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation)

Olfactory elements (e.g., floral scents, earthy smells)

Tactile elements (e.g., natural materials like wood or stone, exposure to sunlight)

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Provisioning services

Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)

Cultural services

Mental and physical health and wellbeing

Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)

Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals

Social and community interactions

Scale

Spatial scale

Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)

Beneficiaries

Demographics in implementation area

Project Roots is located in the heart of South Phoenix. South Phoenix has the highest concentration of food deserts in the city. Of the 43 food deserts identified by the city, 18 are fully or partly in south Phoenix (19). The area is a concentration of people affected by extreme poverty and its historically underserved communities of color (19). The majority of the population within the local area is between 25-54 years (23). 90 percent of the population are part of minority groups (23). 80 percent of homes are classified as family households medium income ranging between 25,000 to 149,000 USD (23).

Socio-economic profile of the area

Low-income

Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts

Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Low-income neighborhoods

Urban heat islands

Minority or marginalized ethnic groups

Non-government actors

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches

Private sector/Corporate/Business

Citizens or community groups

Primary Beneficiaries

Citizens or community groups

Young people and children

Marginalized groups

Other

Please specify "other primary beneficiary"

Those facing homelessness: "As part of their outreach efforts, they help provide food, food boxes, and hygiene items to those in need and those experiencing homelessness." (16)

Specify primary beneficiaries

-Citizens or community groups: "Project Roots nourishes and educates communities in need by promoting a healthier, natural, and more sustainable way of urban living." (1)
-Young people and children: "The garden, along with Spaces of Opportunity, is one of the spaces where Project Roots hosts its new youth classes, one of which Brandon Bates teaches. He said it is important to get his students thinking about the benefits of farming and working the land while working in tandem with the community." (19)
-Marginalized groups: "As a Feed Phoenix farm, Project Roots provides weekly CSA bags that are distributed weekly across Phoenix to organizations that support those in need. These bags are then delivered to Phoenix community centers and low income housing areas to support those who have limited access to fresh produce." (9)

Marginalized groups

Children, young people or youth groups

Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)

Homeless people & people living in informal settlements

Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups

-Children, young people or youth groups: Project Roots provides an educational program for youth to learn where food comes from and how to grow it (15, 19)
-Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed): The project focus' on providing access to healthy food through accepting electronic benefit transfer (EBT) , supplemental nutrition assistance program(SNAP),and food stamps (3). Project Roots also delivers fresh produce CSA bags to Phoenix community centers and low income housing areas (9).
-Homeless people & people living in informal settlements: "As part of their outreach efforts, they help provide food, food boxes, and hygiene items to those in need and those experiencing homelessness." (16)

Specify measures taken for vulnerable or marginalized communities

Targeted outreach and engagement efforts with vulnerable or marginalized communities to understand concerns or identify risks

Implementation of specific programs to address the needs of these communities

Provision of resources tailored to the unique challenges faced by vulnerable or marginalized groups

Other beneficiaries

Public health (e.g. increased physical activity opportunities, reduced stress)

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Led by non-government actors

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

Project Roots was co-founded by Phoenix community members Bridget Pettis and Dionne Washington, who sought to address food insecurity and promote sustainable living in their community. The farm is sustained by a dedicated and diverse group of about three dozen local volunteers who contribute their time and efforts to keep the project running smoothly.
Support for Project Roots also comes from a range of private sector partners, including Boeing, Microsoft, The Gladly, Holder, Phoenix Mercury, Alvéole, and PHX, which contribute resources and funding to advance the organization’s goals.
In addition, several non-governmental organizations provide support to Project Roots, helping to expand its reach and impact in the Phoenix area.
The City of Phoenix plays a crucial role as well, particularly through its Feed Phoenix Initiative, which partners with Project Roots to ensure that fresh produce bags are delivered to vulnerable populations throughout the city. (9,11,22)

Key actors - initiating organization

Citizens or community group

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Local government/municipality

Non-government organisation/civil society

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Stages of citizen and community engagement

On-the-ground implementation

Monitoring and evaluation of project outcomes

Level of citizen and community engagement

High

Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives

Implementation of educational programs, workshops or trainings

Formation of community-led groups responsible for the the implementation, maintenace or monitoring of the project

Support of local entrepreneurs or small business development related to the project

Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)

Dissemination of information and education

Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")

Community & Social Groups

Women or Women's groups

Land owners

No information found

Policy drivers

NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy

Unknown

NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan

Unknown

NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan

Yes

Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"

The Feed Phoenix Initiative which is funded by the CARES act(9). The project is also correlated with the South Phoenix Food Action Plan (19).

Relevant strategy or plan

Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme

Urban agriculture or food security plans, policies, guidelines

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Enablers & Barriers

Type of enablers

Capacity-building projects

Change agents (individual with major role influence on launching)

Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.

The Feed Phoenix Initiative which is funded by the CARES act(9). The project is also correlated with the South Phoenix Food Action Plan (19).
Change agent: Project Roots was co-founded by Bridget Pettis and Dionne Washington, local community members in Phoenix (3).

Governace and decison-making instruments

Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans)

Public - community agreement (e.g. citizen science programs; citizen assemblies)

Educational and knowledge sharing instruments (e.g. science/ living labs, awareness raising campaigns, specific educational programs, green hubs)

Arrangements for governance cooperation

Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups)

Barriers

In the beginning of the project, Project Roots was providing free food for the community but “We learned very quickly that we can’t just give free produce away, it’s kind of offensive to other farmers that are working so hard to sell theirs (crops) right next door." (3)

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Please specify total cost (EUR)

Unknown.

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

Unknown.

Source(s) of funding

Corporate investment

Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

Type of fund(s) used

Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Yes

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of labour

Provision of expertise

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-governance arrangement

An NGO

Entrepreneurship opportunities

Yes

What entrepreneurship opportunities have arisen from the NBS project?

Sustainable agriculture or agroforestry businesses

What types of actors are leading the entrepreneurship activities linked to the NBS project?

Local community groups/ citizens

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

What types of support are provided to entrepreneurs engaged in NBS-related activities?

Access to markets or supply chains

Business models

Local stewardship model

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)

Citizens / local communities

5. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Achieved increased green space area

Increased number of species present

Achieved increased number of species present

Description of environmental benefits

1. Increased number of species present: "On Saturday, February 15, Project Roots AZ aims to plant 200 citrus trees at Spaces of Opportunity in South Phoenix, where the organization has a quarter-acre space for crops." (7).
2. Increased green space area: "because of the funding they were able to add a 2,500 gallon water tank that helps them store their weekly ration of water and enabled them to acquire more land. The increased acreage lets them grow more produce and also allows them to offer over 20 farming rows to the Phoenix community who are interested in growing their own fruits and vegetables." (9)

Environmental impact indicators

Total number of vascular plant species protected or introduced

1 tree species (7) + 12 vegetable species(9)

Description of economic benefits

Unknown.

Social and cultural impact indicators

Number of community events, gatherings, or volunteer activities organized in green spaces

3 (5, 7)

Number of environmental education programs, workshops, outreach activities (eg. in schools, community centers, public spaces)

3 (5)

Number of species of locally produced food harvested (in urban gardens, community orchards, or agroforestry plots)

12 (9)

Mental health benefits

Reduced stress

Decreased anxiety

Increased feelings of nature connection

Evidence for use of assessment

Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

Unknown

Use of GIS in mapping impacts

Cost-benefit analysis

Unknown

Transparency

Community forums for information sharing and encouraging the participation of marginalized groups

Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets

Justice

Community satisfaction

Unknown

Description of locals satisfaction with the project

Unknown.

Trade-offs & Negative impacts

Unknown

Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement

Unknown

High-quality & Transformative NBS

Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community)

Goal setting and impacts delivery

No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas.

Reaching original project goals

Most of the project goals were achieved

Please specify the achievements of the project goals

Social justice and community: 1. Improved access to urban green space: "The rows function as a communal space for those wanting a more working-farm setting or who have no access to land because they live in high-density, communal living spaces."(9)
2. Increased opportunities for social interaction: “The rows allow space for family and friends to come together in this communal farming space and open field to work the land and breathe the clean air" (9)
5. Increased sustainability of agriculture practices: "Through our urban farming initiatives, educational programs, and community support services, we strive to provide access to nutritious food and promote sustainable agriculture practices." (5)
6. Improved mental health: "Having a connection with your food and watching that labor turn into something healthy and rewarding helps anxious and disaffected young people feel grounded." (19)
8. Improvement in people’s connection to nature: “Connecting our youth again back to earth and nature and how that can sustain our living, that’s really fundamentally basic,” said Bridget Pettis, co-founder of Project Roots." (19)
9. Increased support for education and scientific research: "Project Roots, a nonprofit that provides gardening space and educates the community about growing food, is offering these classes to youth to reconnect them to the land and where their food comes from." (19)

Long-term perspective

Yes

Cost-effective solutions

Yes

Equitable impacts

A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project

Transformative capacity

Social change (e.g. social relationships, networks and dynamics within them)

Magnitude of change

Transformative: (deep) by focusing on and substantially changing structures, including institutional ones (norms and rules).

Application of lessons learned

The NBS has been shared or used as a good practice to trigger transformative change

Perception of Environmental Change

Unknown

6. Sources

References

Project Roots (n.d.). Our Story. [Source link] [Archive];

Project Roots (n.d.). Tower Garden Project. [Source link] [Archive];

Melanie, K. (2023). Project Roots: The nonprofit organization planted by women is growing. [Source link] [Archive];

Blaxfriday (n.d.). Project Roots AZ. [Source link] [Archive];

Good Food Finder (n.d.). Project Roots AZ. [Source link] [Archive];

Project Roots (n.d.). Project Roots . [Source link] [Archive];

D'Andrea, N. (2020). Project Roots AZ Hosts Tree-Planting Party on February 15. [Source link] [Archive];

Phoenix New Times (2021). Best Urban Community Farm Project Roots AZ. [Source link] [Archive];

Good Food Finder (n.d.). Laying Down Roots: How Feed Phoenix Helped Project Roots Expand Community Garden. [Source link] [Archive];

10.

Collins, C. (2023). VIDEO – Former Mercury Player And Coach Creates Project Roots To Resolve Food Insecurity. [Source link] [Archive];

11.

D'Andrea, N. (2020). Bridget Pettis' Project Roots Makes it Easy to Bring Home Phoenix-Grown Food. [Source link] [Archive];

12.

YurView (2021). Project Roots Arizona. [Source link] [Archive];

13.

Arizona's Family (2023). "Project Roots" teaching community to grow their own food. [Source link] [Archive];

14.

ABC15 (2023). Project Roots is a community-based garden that grows food to help with food insecurities. [Source link] [Archive];

15.

Bannecker, J. (2021). Your Valley Toyota Dealers are Helping Kids Go Places: Project Roots. [Source link] [Archive];

16.

Davis, C. (2021). Meet Project Roots: South Phoenix nonprofit shines light on community farming during COVID-19 pandemic. [Source link] [Archive];

17.

Chambers, B. (2021). Project Roots community garden has a mission to keep South Phoenix fed. [Source link] [Archive];

18.

UUCP (2023). Share the Plate: Project Roots. [Source link] [Archive];

19.

Taros, M. (n.d.). 'Starting at the root every day': Nonprofit teaches kids in south Phoenix how to grow food. [Source link] [Archive];

20.

FOX10 (2020). Local non-profit group to plant 200 trees in South Phoenix. [Source link] [Archive];

21.

Project Roots (n.d.). SERVE WITH US. [Source link] [Archive];

22.

Project Roots (n.d.). Supporters. [Source link] [Archive];

23.

Maricopa Association of Governments (2022). Arizona Demographics . [Source link] [Archive];

Comments and notes

Public Images