PURPOSE

The Urban Transformation Network’s is a not-for-profit, 501 © (3) organization organized for charitable purpose, which includes to support and encourage the establishment of urban gardens on unused land and space in urban communities, while increasing diversity in the agriculture industry, raising awareness for conservation education, urban agriculture, and wellness in low income and disadvantaged communities, and inspiring and educating youth, adults and seniors to create an economically sustainable future in low income and disadvantaged communities.

OUR VISION

​Urban Transformation Network (UTN) connects low income and disadvantaged people to opportunity so that they may move from stagnant, difficult conditions to vibrant, healthy and productive lifestyles. This includes connecting low income, and disadvantaged people to information, training and educational opportunities in the agriculture industry and health and wellness.

Urban Transformation Network believes in empowering low income and disadvantaged people and transforming lives. Developing partnerships with community residents, other non-profits, governmental agencies, local businesses and international corporations, is one of the focuses of Urban Transformation Network to help bring more resources to the low income and disadvantaged communities.

Urban Transformation Network actively engages the community in educational workshops that raise awareness about: green collar job training opportunities, urban gardening and information on healthy eating, scholarship opportunities, internship opportunities, and healthy eating living and thinking.

Faith based and other not-for-profit organizations may sign-up to “Become A Partner” with UTN and provide educational workshops on gardening for its youth.

FUNCTION

Urban Transformation Network has a green house on the westside of Chicago, at 3250 W Chicago Avenue, called Metro Farms.  UTN uses an aquaponic system to grow vegetables, such as greens, basil, and others, in the green house.  UTN also has an outside garden and uses the hydroponic system to grow vegetables outside.  UTN’s aquaponic system uses the waste from tilapia fish, as fertilizer for the vegetable.

UTN is also implementing a farmbot system to help grow the vegetables.  The farmbot system mechanically plants seeds and water the plants.

Urban Transformation Network uses the Metro Farms location to connect low income, and disadvantaged people to information, training, and educational opportunities in the agricultural industry and health and wellness.  UTN also fulfills its functions by connecting low income and disadvantaged people to other organizations.  Currently, UTN partners with the United States Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Education, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, Aetna for Better Health of Illinois, Sunrise Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, House of Prayer, various Chicago Public Schools, various elected officials, Loretta and West Suburban Hospitals, and Ball Seed Corporation.

UTN has urban gardens at some of its partner locations, and offers internship and educational opportunities for low income and disadvantaged people at these locations.

ACTIVITIES

Urban Transformation Network has a host of activities to carry out its charitable purpose which includes to support and encourage the establishment of urban gardens on unused land and space in urban communities, while increasing diversity in the agriculture industry, raising awareness for conservation education, urban agriculture, and wellness in low income and disadvantaged communities, and inspiring and educating youth, adults and seniors to create an economically sustainable future in low income and disadvantaged communities.

UTN perform activities such as hiring interns between the ages of 16 to 24, to train low income and disadvantaged youth in urban gardening, while giving them an alternative to being on the streets, and committing crimes.  UTN sees its internship program as a contributor to providing jobs to youth as well as stopping the violence in urban communities, especially the westside of Chicago.

UTN provides free healthy meals to low income and disadvantaged people through free farmer’s markets, and health fairs.  UTN host health fairs throughout the year, and provide information to the community regarding healthy eating, living and thinking.  UTN has medical professionals at its health fairs to provide health screenings and information for major metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke.  UTN also hosts Climate Smart Equity Expos, walk-a-thons, holiday food giveaways, tours of Metra Farms, youth trips to its partner locations for activities, out of town youth trips to farms, trips to governmental partner agencies, and stop the violence programs/youth summer safety programs.

Urban Transformation Network is a unique organization, that is committed to the people of the community to help change the paradigm of unhealthy living to reduce the unusually high death rate in low income and disadvantaged urban communities.  This is done through its programs for educating the community on healthy eating, living and thinking, through the use of urban gardening and its focus on the agriculture industry, which also helps the environment.