Roots In The City Urban Farmers' Market

Roots In The City, Inc., founded by author and academic Marvin Dunn, Ph.D. in 1994, is a nonprofit, community-based organization located in the Overtown neighborhood in the shadow of downtown Miami. It is focused on community development, creating jobs and beautifying Miami's inner city. The organization has established several community gardens and tree nurseries in Overtown. Community volunteers and Overtown residents make up the heart of the organization. They maintain the gardens and nurseries year-round. Roots In The City receives support from hundreds of volunteers through organizations such as Hands On Miami, Touching Miami with Love, and Miami Dade College. Roots In The City has cultivated several vacant lots in the Overtown community. Most of these are located in the vicinity of the NW Third Avenue and Ninth Street intersection and belong to the Collins Center for Public Policy, an active partner with Roots In The City in its urban agriculture program. The main vegetable garden is located across the street from the historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church on the northeast corner of Northwest Third Avenue and Northwest Ninth Street. The two-acre lot features collard greens, tomatoes, beans, bell peppers, eggplants, peanuts, corn, watermelon, lettuce, squash, sweet potatoes, and various herbs. The fertile garden yields fruits and vegetables throughout the year and supplies locals with a healthy supply of greens often missing from their diet. Freshly grown produce from the garden is offered free to the community through giveaway programs to schools, community agencies and homeless shelters. Produce is also sold in markets and local stores.