ORGANIC FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE
Tehuti Ma'at is entering the fourth year of the Organic Food for the People (OFFTP) initiative. We started this Urban Farm mission with the rehabilitation of this dilapidated garden in the historical WEEKSVILLE community. We’re working toward transforming Tehuti Ma’at Community Garden and healing space into a thriving FARM!
We started OFFTP as a holistic response to the plethora of health issues plaguing our neighborhoods, including diabetes and obesity. It has been a protracted struggle to get people in the neighborhood out of the Popeyes and McDonalds lines and into the garden.
OFFTP addresses neighborhood health directly by connecting and organizing people who live in our neighborhood to actually function as a community.
Our initiative has pushed us to dig our roots deeper into the core of the problem: EDUCATION.
“The rate of avoidable adult diabetes hospitalizations in Brownsville is the highest in the city, more than twice the Brooklyn and citywide rates,” according to New York state records.
When it comes to obesity our neighborhood ranks 11th in NYC. In this same neighborhood, which boasts the second highest incarceration rate of NYC, many have normalized the toxic so-called foods in the bodegas and fast food restaurants.
Our initiative roots deeper into the core of the problem via EDUCATION
RAWorkshops
Educational + Interactive
Hood vs. Community: Awareness & Community Building Workshop
Grow Your Own Food: Gardening & Farming Basics Workshop
Transition Your Kitchen: Plant-based Meal Planning & Prep Workshop
Race and Food Justice: PoliTRICKS of Food, Race & Class | Solutions
ROOTS Ancestral Medicine: Roots & Herbs | Ancestral Healing Remedies
Live-it vs Die-it: Transforming Your Lifestyle | Holistic Healing Workshop
Herbal Verbal Therapy: Open Mic & Tasting | Basics of Herbalism
ORGANIC FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE is an active educational program because we know that having gardens and healthy food options at this point is just not facing the ROOT of the problem.
GROW FOOD
Our vision is to develop our own FOOD COOPERATIVE
Cooperative Businesses end cycles of poverty. We have already started one co-op venture: Coins & Cowries
This Healing Bar offers a selection of healing products, including herbal products grown via Organic Food for the People.
We have grown over 220 pounds of produce and held over 33 health/food workshops, as well as exhibits for local artists, art workshops, open mics, performances and more, but we still have a long way to go to reach the heart of this neighborhood.
This final stretch will take us to scale. It is critical for OFFTP because we need Tehuti Ma’at Garden to be a sustainable farm model other gardens can implement.
We couldn't do it without our community...
What we need...
40 cubic yards of organic soil
Compost and organic fertilizer
Eco-paint for beautification
Farming equipment and tools
Water purification system
Rainwater conservation
Drip irrigation system
Seeds and plant starts
Building supplies
Maintenance supplies
Trellising system
Outreach materials
Workshop materials
Food for workshops
Work gear for volunteers
Facilitator Stipends
Project Director Stipend
Program Coordinator Stipend
