Local partners and supporters pose for a groundbreaking photo in SVdP's Urban Farm.
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Shovels In: Urban Farm To Get New Look and Increased Harvest

SVdP celebrates groundbreaking event with local partners

It was a beautiful and sunny afternoon in Phoenix and there was a palpable excited buzz in the air as guests put on construction hats, sampled hors d'oeuvres from our kitchen and walked through our Urban Farm. It was a day of celebration with several local partners and donors as we officially broke ground on our Urban Farm development.

Friends, supporters and partners attend the SVdP Urban Farm groundbreaking event.

What was once a dirt lot just a few short years ago, is now a thriving, one-acre urban farm located on our main campus. Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers and SVdP’s farm team, thousands of pounds of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables have been grown using permaculture and natural farm methods. The farm also includes aquaponics and hydroponics systems, that provide tilapia and produce, and a composting program that turns kitchen scraps from around the Valley into soil to grow more food. Once harvested, most of the produce is used in our main kitchen to be cleaned, prepped, cooked and serve in our five dining rooms to those who need it most.

Thanks to generous community support, we are now expanding the Urban Farm and its vision. The groundbreaking opened an exciting new chapter, which will include:

  • Public gathering spaces
  • Educational programs
  • Lectures and demonstrations that aim to enhance the environmental, economic, food and psychosocial sustainability of our community
  • Water recycling system (includes four underground water retention vaults) and more!

All of these enhancements will not only promote community sustainability, encourage volunteerism and provide educational opportunities, but will ultimately increase production and access to fresh local produce to feed more to those in need in our community.

SVdP Urban Farm Director Dave Smith and Melani Walton of the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation, break ground during the event.

***Thank you to our partners who are helping to make this development possible, including our principal supporters, Rob and Melani Walton Family Foundation, as well as Arizona Diamondbacks, Logan Simpson Design Inc., McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., Sunrise Engineering, Associated Fence & Empire Fence, SPS+Architects, Wright Engineering, Oldcastle, Rainbird, Terracon, and Creative Environments.

 Arizona Diamondbacks staff and mascot Baxter the Bobcat pose for a photo during the groundbreaking event.

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