At Connecticut’s FIRST NON PROFIT Indoor Hydroponic Farm, nOURish BRIDGEPORT Inc. is growing produce and distributing it to our neighbors in need. The people of Bridgeport have little access to fresh produce, since Bridgeport’s neighborhoods have been declared “food deserts” by the USDA.  There are few grocery stores, even if one has resources to get there.

Our Indoor Farm will grow vegetables and fruits 365 days/year, 24 hours/day, using only water, light, and nutrients. NO DIRT. NO PESTICIDES.

 In order to grow the variety and quantity of produce needed to supply our consumers, multiple and different growing methods are required. You can watch a brief three minute video overviewing our growing methods by clicking here.

Through our efforts, our own Food Pantry client neighbors-and the clients of our fellow Food Pantries-will have increased access and consumption of fresh healthy produce ALL YEAR LONG.   Rather than just onions and potatoes (the typical produce at local Food Pantries), the people of Bridgeport who struggle with food inaccessibility and insecurity will receive lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. when they receive their groceries at their local Food Pantry. We are thrilled to announce that the fresh produce grown in nOURish INDOOR FARM will be distributed to Food Pantries throughout Bridgeport through the CT Food Bank/FoodShare.

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Our partners at the Connecticut Food Bank (who provide the vast majority of the groceries we give to our neighbors every week) face two main issues when it comes to healthy produce:  1) they get very little to distribute or 2) it is at the end of its lifecycle by the time the Food Bank procures it. Year-round – yes, in Connecticut – we typically receive carrots, onions, and potatoes. Healthy, nutrient dense produce like spinach, swiss chard, various lettuces, arugula, basil, tomatoes, green beans etc. are few and far between in our weekly Food Bank pick-ups.

So we listened to our neighbors in need and decided to do something about it.

TRANSFORMING THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM – TRANSFORMING HEALTH

 nOURish BRIDGEPORT is proud to create the first NON-PROFIT Indoor Hydroponic Farm in Connecticut, but we do not want to be the last. The reality that food can be grown in an urban food desert 365 days/year, 24 hours/day is transformational in agriculture. We hope that our vision will take hold and help transform the food distribution system as well.

There are many FOR-PROFIT Hydroponic Farm efforts, but the vegetables grown are then typically taken to the affluent cities and sold at wealthy village’s farmers market.    nOURish recognizes this maintains the current food distribution system: the people with means have access to the healthiest food, while the people who struggle have the least access to healthy food. They pay the price with the quality of their life and health.

 SOBERING STATISTIC: For someone who lives in Bridgeport, the average age at death is 60.  For someone who lives in Westport, the average age at death is 79.

 nOURish wants to help change this statistic. We seek to open the accessibility door for people of Bridgeport who struggle with food security by not only GROWING FOOD in a food desert – but DISTRIBUTING IT to the people who need it most.

nOURish wants to get spinach and strawberries and green beans in the hands and on the tables of people who cannot afford it. This transforms the food distribution system AND the health of our neighbors.

Imagine… lettuce and tomatoes in February! Can you see it?  We can.

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