Partner Background:

McKinney Roots was founded as a backyard garden in 2016 by three local moms to address the issues of increasing poverty, hunger, and food insecurity in Collin County. What started as a small personal effort to address a growing need in the community evolved into a nonprofit farm helping thousands of underserved people every year. The founders of McKinney Roots noticed that over eleven percent of Collin County residents are food insecure. Their mission is to supply fresh, healthy produce and eggs to the food insecure by growing and distributing produce to local nonprofits, churches, and schools.  McKinney Roots currently operates on a five-acre farm donated by Dr. Muhammad Uddin and Dr. Rahima Afroza. In 2020, the non-profit became an initiative of the Seed Project Foundation.

Project Summary

McKinney Roots donates fresh, nutrient-dense food to the underserved. Their five-acre farm utilizes all organic farming practices including a mobile chicken coop to fertilize the soil and bees to pollinate the plants. This creates a whole organic ecosystem, positively effecting the health of the community they serve. McKinney Roots operates through the help of volunteers that learn about conservation practices and are engaged in solving a community problem.

Over the past year, McKinney Roots has:

• increased the number of garden beds under cultivation
• added irrigation
• added bees to help pollination and provide
• added 180 chickens, providing 75 dozen eggs per week
• added a full time farm hand

The non-profit also engages the local community by extending volunteer opportunities to organizations such as the Young Men’s Service league, who spend days providing helping hands. Many community organizations including McKinney Lifeline Center, Community Garden Kitchen, McKinney Free Little Pantry, Samaritan Inn, and the First McKinney Baptist Church play pivotal roles in distributing the vegetables and eggs.

Project Goals and Community Impact:

In 2021, McKinney Roots is quadrupling their produce, donating eggs, and plans to build a hydroponic greenhouse to provide year-round greens. McKinney Roots serves as a model for other communities to emphasize healthy habits and easy access to fresh produce while implementing sustainable farming practices, helping the people, the environment, and the economy.