Key Takeaways:
- Urban Growers Collective (UGC) announces a new partnership with Vitable Health to improve access to health and wellness in Chicago.
- The partnership was celebrated with a company-wide volunteer day on July 11 at UGC’s South Chicago Farm.
- Vitable Health awarded UGC a $15,000 grant to support their urban agriculture initiatives.
- The collaboration aims to address Social Determinants of Health and provide holistic care to underserved communities.
- Future plans include hosting free pop-up health clinics and Fresh Moves Health Fairs at UGC sites.
UGC and Vitable Health Launch New Partnership
Urban Growers Collective (UGC), a Black- and women-led nonprofit focused on urban agriculture in Chicago, has announced a new partnership with Vitable Health. VH provides direct primary care health plans to make high-quality healthcare accessible to everyone. This collaboration aims to enhance community wellness, particularly in Chicago’s Black and Brown communities, through integrated health and food system initiatives.
Company-Wide Volunteer Day on July 11
To mark the commencement of their partnership, UGC and Vitable Health organized a company-wide volunteer day on July 11 at UGC’s largest farm, the South Chicago Farm. This event brought together employees from both organizations to support UGC’s mission hands-on. The South Chicago Farm spans seven acres and serves as the base of operations for various job training and education programs. It also hosts the Fresh Moves Mobile Market, a bus converted into an affordable “produce aisle on wheels,” which served 14,400 customers in 2023, visiting schools, community centers, churches, and health clinics in areas with limited access to fresh produce.
Financial Support and Shared Mission
In addition to their volunteer efforts, Vitable Health awarded UGC a $15,000 grant to bolster their urban agriculture work. Joseph Kitonga, founder and CEO of Vitable Health, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Vitable is built around a powerful mission: To increase the life expectancy of our members by at least five years. This isn’t something we’re able to tackle with healthcare access alone. That is why we partner with community-led initiatives, like UGC, to address additional Social Determinants of Health within our populations.”
Future Collaboration and Community Impact
Erika Allen, CEO of Urban Growers Collective, voiced her gratitude for the collaboration with Vitable Health. She noted, “On behalf of UGC, we are deeply appreciative and grateful for this collaboration with Vitable Health and their mission to support hourly workers and the uninsured to wellness.” Allen announced plans to deepen the partnership by involving Vitable’s service providers in hosting free pop-up health clinics at the South Chicago farm stand and during Fresh Moves Health Fairs. “Vitable’s approach leads a new pathway that encourages collaborations between the healthcare system and local food-system sectors to support public health and wellness in our communities,” she added.