The $15,000 grant from Vitable Health will help continue UGC’s important work building pathways to health through urban agriculture on Chicago’s South Side.
CHICAGO — Urban Growers Collective (UGC), a Black- and women-led nonprofit farm building a more just and equitable local food system in Chicago through urban agriculture, has announced a new partnership with Vitable Health, a direct primary care health plan designed to give everyone access to quality concierge health care.
In solidarity and celebration of their mutual efforts to increase access to health and wellness in Chicago’s Black and Brown communities, UGC and Vitable Health organized a company-wide volunteer day on Thursday, July 11 at UGC’s largest farm. The South Chicago farm has seven acres of growing space, hosts four job training and education programs, and serves as a hub for the Fresh Moves Mobile Market, a bus converted into an affordable “produce stand on wheels.” UGC’s Fresh Moves buses served 14,400 clients in 2023 at schools, community centers, churches, and health clinics in communities with limited access to nutritious, culturally affirming produce.
In addition to providing hands-on support on July 11, Vitable Health also awarded UGC a $15,000 grant to support their important work in urban agriculture in Chicago. Joseph Kitonga, founder and CEO of Vitable, shared his excitement about the partnership: “Vitable was founded with a powerful mission to increase the life expectancy of our members by at least five years, something that cannot be addressed through access to healthcare alone. That’s why we partner with community-led efforts like UGC to further address the social determinants of health for our residents. By working together, we can deepen our connections with service providers and address health with a more holistic and lasting approach.”
Erica Allen, CEO of Urban Growers Collective (UGC), also stated, “On behalf of UGC, we are deeply grateful for this collaboration with Vitable Health and their mission to support the health of hourly workers and the uninsured. We look forward to deepening our partnership through Vitable’s service providers and hosting free pop-up health clinics at our South Chicago farm stand and Fresh Moves Health Fairs. Vitable’s approach fosters collaboration between the healthcare system and the local food system sector, paving new avenues to support the public health and wellness of our communities.”
About Urban Growers Collective:
Urban Growers Collective (UGC) is a Black, woman-led 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Chicago. Rooted in growing food, UGC fosters nutritious environments that support health, economic development, healing, and creativity through urban agriculture. UGC uses urban agriculture as a tool and method to address inequities and structural racism that exist in communities of color and throughout the food system. For more information, including opportunities to purchase our produce and volunteer, visit urbangrowerscollective.org.
About Vitable Health:
Vitable is an enhanced direct primary care health benefit for employers of hourly workers. It provides easy access to quality primary care and mental health coverage for underinsured and uninsured American workers. Vitable membership includes in-home and virtual primary care visits, free prescriptions, testing and mental health programs with no out-of-pocket costs for members. To learn more, visit vitablehealth.com.
