The 2026 Urban Agriculture Initiative is a collaborative, community-driven effort to expand food access, strengthen neighborhood resilience, and advance food as a human right. The initiative transforms underutilized spaces into sustainable growing sites that directly serve local families while building long-term community capacity.
This work is implemented in partnership with the Titusville Development Corporation and the Institute of Human Rights at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Titusville Development Corporation anchors the initiative in neighborhood priorities and development strategy, while the Institute of Human Rights provides research support, human rights framing, and educational engagement to connect local food systems to broader equity goals.
Through hands-on training, youth engagement, and community leadership development, the initiative prioritizes sustainability, ownership, and long-term impact over short-term relief.
Core Goals
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Increase access to fresh, locally grown produce in historically underserved neighborhoods
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Reclaim and activate underutilized land for community benefit
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Provide hands-on training in sustainable agriculture and food systems
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Develop youth leadership and intergenerational learning opportunities
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Integrate a human rights framework into local food system development
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Build durable partnerships between community organizations and academic institutions
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Establish long-term infrastructure that supports food sovereignty and neighborhood self-determination
This initiative moves beyond charity. It builds systems, skills, and shared responsibility—laying the groundwork for lasting, community-owned change.
Register as a Village Volunteer here.