Page 54 June 2013 With tall buildings as a backdrop, the New Roots program enables refugee farmers and local citizens a chance to grow crops within the city. Expanded program grows crops in the center of city By Audrey Luzader On the northeast corner of Indian School Road and Central Avenue, across from a busy light-rail stop, a garden of numerous vegetables grows as a product of the New Roots program. The International Rescue Committee in Phoenix has teamed up with PHX Renews to expand its New Roots program, an initiative to integrate and assist refugees through the rescue committee program, coordinator Timothy Olorunfemi said. PHX Renews is an initiative of mayors to tackle the large percentage of vacant lots around metro Phoenix, said Colin Tetreault, Mayor Greg Stanton’s senior policy adviser for sustainability. Tetreault said the project’s goal is, “To use vacant land … to transform and provide a positive outcome for the community.” The nonpro fi t organization Keeping Phoenix Beautiful is administrating the project, he said. Tom Waldeck, executive director at Keeping Phoenix Beautiful, said the group is subletting pieces of the property to different groups, one of which is the IRC for its New Roots program. New Roots occupies 2.35 acres. At least a dozen families have planted on about a quarter acre. Nine of the families are refugees; three are from the community. Olorunfemi said New Roots was started in October 2007 and was, “designed to help refugee farmers who fl ed their countries coming to Arizona and wanted to continue farming.” The programs objectives also are to help refugees integrate into the community, connect them with resources and aid in self suf fi ciency and economic empowerment, Olorunfemi said. While the group has different land around Phoenix, use of the 2.35 acres on the PHX Renews lot kicked off in the beginning of December. The families can use their food to help feed their own family, as well as to sell in the community, Olorunfemi said. These families are from Congo- Brazzaville, Congo Democratic, Bhutan, Sudan, Iraq and Somalia. They are planting everything from peas and carrots, to different spinach mixtures and onions from their home countries. Olorunfemi came to the U.S. in 2006 as an immigrant from Nigeria where he grew up on a farm, he said. The entire program is broken up into three groups: farmland, community gardens and backyard gardens. Olorunfemi said the farmland is a more independent group, while the community garden contingent consists of groups of people coming together on the same land. The backyard gardens are where refugees farm little gardens at their own homes. New Roots fi rst started in Phoenix with 17 families and has grown to around 80. Nicolle Walker, IRC development manager, said the program tries to “bring refugees to the forefront of the Phoenix community,” and has brought more than 1,200 refugees to Phoenix since 1994. The New Roots program allows them to be more visible. NMLS# 179446 / BK0902429 / NOVA NMLS 3087 As realtors we always tell our clients the single biggest factor in a successful and happy ENQUKPIKUCITGCVNQCPQHſEGT Tom Ross is ethical, honest, JCTFYQTMKPICPFTGNKCDNG*G is able to provide creative solutions to complex transactions and leave everyone smiling at the GPF9GYQWNFJGCTVKN[TGEQOOGPF6QO4QUU VQCP[QPGNQQMKPIHQTOQTVICIGſPCPEKPI Kimberly Joy Lipson and Josh Pope Arcadia and Biltmore Specialists 6JG*QOG)TQWR Senior Loan Officer 602.791.5861 www.asktomross.com W Wh hy y T To op p p p A A Age en nts I In n n O Ou ur r M M Mar rk ket t T T Tr ru us st t U Us:

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