St. Paul's Urban Roots is helping people grow food and job skills

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A St. Paul nonprofit is providing fresh veggies in the city's food deserts, all while cultivating confidence and job skills.

Each year 90 youth who are often facing employment barriers join Urban Roots as interns. They tend to a handful of gardens across the east side and manage everything from seed to sale.

"We have youth from all different backgrounds and cultures. And they help each year pick our crop plan. So it's really representative of their homes and backgrounds and it's what they want to see in the community as the food we bring there," explained Urban Roots Executive Director Hayley Ball.

The roughly 15,000 lbs of food produced each year goes back into the community, at farmers markets and food shelves, filling a need in a designated food desert.

Urban Roots, which has been running for 55 years, also offers individual or group volunteer experiences. It's a chance for others to help feed the community, all with the mission of preparing youth for success.

"They are learning a lot about how to be independent and work in a team," said Market Coordinator Alfredo Alvarado.

"Seeing someone who is whispering at the beginning of their internship to being able to give a speech in front of city council members, is just incredibly rewarding to watch them move on and see what the next step is," said Ball.

Urban Roots will have a special food giveaway on Saturday at Arlington Hills Community Center.

WCCO is spotlighting local nonprofits as part of its partnership with Xcel Energy's Day of Service. For more information, click here.