Urban Roots, a youth-centered nonprofit organization, aims to “grow young minds” to be leaders and give them opportunities to be part of a community-focused solution to local food access.

The background

Urban Roots started around 2008 as part of another nonprofit organization called YouthLaunch, said Sydney Corbin, associate director of youth and education at Urban Roots. It was an after-school program where high school students could work and learn on an urban organic farm.

Eventually, Urban Roots branched off and grew into an organization focusing on youth leadership and development as well as food distribution and access efforts. According the the organization's 2023 report, they paid youth leaders $122,000 for their work and grew 91,704 servings of produce between the summers of 2022 and 2023.
Urban Roots welcomes volunteers and offers educational farm tours. (Courtesy Urban Roots)
Urban Roots welcomes volunteers and offers educational farm tours. (Courtesy Urban Roots)
Micaela Buda, development manager at Urban Roots, said the organization’s vision is a future of confident, environmentally conscious leaders. An equitable food system is only achievable through collaboration, she said.

“Truly, the way that we're on the land, the way that we're with each other, the way that we present our curriculum to the youth is all a piece of this mission of cultivating this conscious and confident community of leaders,” Buda said.


About the program

Urban Roots offers paid internships to high school students in which they get the opportunity to plant, harvest and pack food at the organization’s farms in East and South Austin; get culinary experiences; learn about local access and equity; lead volunteer groups; and connect with other young leaders.

Corbin said it's important to cater to teenagers so they can access hands-on, immersive opportunities they may not find elsewhere.

“The idea is that if we work with young people, the impact into the future that we have, I think could be greater,” Corbin said. “... Teenagers are so creative and hilarious, and they have so much to offer, yet there's so many negative stereotypes about teenagers, especially these days with technology.”
Urban Roots provides teaches students skills in leadership, agriculture and food advocacy. (Courtesy Urban Roots)
Urban Roots aims to teach students skills in leadership, agriculture and food advocacy. (Courtesy Urban Roots)
Corbin and Buda emphasize the effectiveness of letting teenagers have a role in their community in the way Urban Roots does.


“I think it's important from the environmental and health and wellness standpoint of our community to point at something tangible and teach something tangible that's not just a philosophy or a theory,” Buda said. “It’s like we are making a real difference to our neighbors right now by giving them the fresh vegetables that we grew and that in their life that just made a difference.”

Get involved

Urban Roots offers educational farm tours and welcomes individuals and groups to volunteer at either location. According to the organization’s website, volunteers work with youth leaders or staff planting, harvesting and packing fresh produce to be distributed.