Our Mission
From seed to salad bowl
Roots for the Home Team
works with youth to cultivate
their personal and professional growth so they can take
risks, learn more about their capabilities, gain real-world business experience and create the future they want for themselves.
Program Goals
We invest deeply in each and every ROOTS participant with the goal of developing three distinct skills.
Leadership Development
Every year a new group of curious youth joins the ROOTS team, learn their leadership style, and its strengths, then gain opportunities to practice their skills.
Entrepreneurial Mindset
From recipe design to the curriculum to real-work experience, participants are invited to create, innovate and evaluate all aspects of our program as they develop an understanding of vision, passion and purpose.
Future & Career Planning
A goal without a plan is just a wish. ROOTS workshops ask youth to explore their hopes and dreams, then work alongside them to clear pathways toward realizing them.
2021 impact report
Food connects us.
2020’s adjustments became 2021’s new game plan.
This year, ROOTS youth realized the power of that concept, seized the opportunity to share their food with more people, and experienced the value (and enjoyment) they could create in the community by doing so.
Read more about our impact in 2021 and see all the stories by downloading (PDF) the full Impact report below.
Back at the ballpark.
Youth were excited to be back at Target Field serving their salads to Twins fans.
Serving more communities.
As they had during COVID-related challenges last year, ROOTS youth expanded their salad service to others. They gained more experiences, more skills, and more fans from their creativity, leadership, and hard work.
By The Numbers
Each young person who participates in our program emerges as a more empowered version of themselves, ready to move to their next stage in life.
30
young people participated in the “Finding your Roots” (FYR) curriculum.
73%
of ROOTS youth say their definition of what a career (job) can be for themselves has changed.
97%
of ROOTS youth feel they have new opportunities to influence their future and community.
"Roots is teaching us how to take things into our own hands, step out of the shadows and lead something."
— Roots Youth Trainer
13,764+
salads served in the community in 2021!
Supporting Partners
Our program sponsors.
We’re grateful to these organizations and individuals for supporting our mission and making significant contributions to help seed youth success.
More Rooters, supporters and friends.
We welcome individual and organizational sponsorships—through both monetary and in-kind donations. Our in-kind Wish List includes compostable bowls, lids, sample cups, forks, spoons, printing, screen printing, social media, public relations, photography and videography
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.