Youth create and send salads to North Minneapolis neighbors, Regions Hospital front-line workers.
For the empowered teens of Roots for the Home Team, finding places to share their incredible salads is an important part of their commitment to community involvement. During the pandemic, they created and delivered salads to neighbors in North Minneapolis and to front-line medical workers at Regions Hospital. As one of the young salad gurus said, “These are fresh, get-me-up foods. While making them, I thought about all people in the hospital who were going to enjoy this food during or after a hard day of work. I hoped our salads would brighten their day.”
The mighty mighty teens of Roots for the Home Team worked double time to find new places to share salads.
The teens of Roots for the Home Team worked double time during the pandemic, looking for places they could share the “salad love” when Twins’ games weren’t open to fans. They researched ideas and voted as a group on which organizations would be a good fit. After choosing to deliver salads to neighbors in North Minneapolis and to frontline medical workers at Regions Hospital, they were lucky enough to be given prep space in the kitchens of Pillsbury United’s Oak Park Community Center and at Saint Dinette in the Rayette Lofts of St. Paul.
It turns out that neighbors and front-line workers love ROOTS’ salads just as much as hungry Twins’ fans do. The response was gratifying and heartfelt. One Regions employee said that while they had been getting donations of sweets and pastries, it was a refreshing change to receive wholesome, healthful foods that were great fuel for their long days.
“Front-line workers are some of the busiest and hardest working people. They could use fresh, get-me-up foods, and that’s why we chose to make and deliver our salads to them,” said Gustavo Ibarra, age 18. “It was fun seeing our initial work of creating our recipes all come together and then be really enjoyed by others.
“While I was working, I thought about all people in the hospital who are going to enjoy this during or after a hard day of work. I hoped our salads would brighten their day – and it was great to think about that while we were making the salads each week. Their responses made me feel really happy and proud. It was world-opening to think that people were greatly influenced by us. Super cool.”
Get Involved with Roots
Step up to the plate and become a ROOTS Youth, Supporter or Mentor.
Become a Roots Food Partner or Program Sponsor
Are you an Urban Farm or food supplier? Are you a retail business interested in selling ROOTS salads? Would you like to serve Roots salads at your next event?
Volunteer as a Youth Mentor or Chef Coach
Would you join one of our workshops to discuss your professional career experience and pathway? Are you a chef who would share your talent by guiding ROOTS youth as they create their salad recipes?
Donate
Simply put, money makes many experiences more attainable. Roots for the Home Team does everything in its power to clear pathways to success for our youth. Will you join our team to make these bright futures all the easier to reach?
Become a ROOTS Youth
All Roots for the Home Team participants connect with our organization through Minneapolis and St. Paul urban farms. Are you a teen interested in joining Roots for the Home Team? Check out our youth Garden Program partners.