The Co-op exist thanks to the cooperation of our community. Strong partnerships with our producers, our members, and allied community organizations have allowed us to co-create a vibrant local food system for Central Florida.

Supporting Organizations

Homegrown Coop was approached by leadership at Florida Hospital during August 2009 to help them develop a benefit program it could eventually offer its nearly 16,000 employees throughout the region. Through our talks we learned that our organizations share a mutual understanding of health and wellness along with an understanding of the current economic and political landscape that challenges our access to nutritious and fresh locally grown foods which could help turn around many people chronic health issues.

In support of our mission, a $25,000 matching grant was pledged and secured by the donations of many Central Floridians sharing are vision and mission. In addition to the matching grant, an incubator arrangement was granted by Florida Hospital for use of their property at 2310 N. Orange Avenue. During this time of economic depression, the eighteen month incubation period was a boost that enabled Homegrown Co-op to move, remodel and feasibly expand operations substantially without debt during 2010.

During the Fall of 2011 we look forward to the start of a pilot program with the Florida Hospital employees working at the Downtown Orlando and Winter Park Hospital Campuses. As a part of their Healthy100 Work Place Initiative, this employee benefit program through Homegrown will ensure hospital employees have convenient workplace access to nutritious fresh foods to support of their long term health and wellness.

In December 2009 Homegrown was granted a vehicle from 1800CharityCars. The vehicle donation from 1-800Charity Cars has enabled us to further our mission by extending the Co-op's distribution reach to new organic farms and to expand delivery service to Central Florida communities recognized as “food deserts”. Charity Cars CEO Brian Menzies also directs the non-profit Charity Farms organization. Charity Farms educates and employs disadvantaged people to grow organic food, which is then distributed to the region's homeless community through local food banks. Their first project farm is located in Kissimmee, and a second educational farm is being developed in Apopka. Exciting potential exists here for collaborative partnership with the Charity Farms organization for additional sources of organic food and educational opportunities for our members.

Our Vital Earth is a vermiculture farm in Apopka, Florida. Our Vital Earth has sponsored Homegrown Co-op for three years by partnering to provide the Co-op with a commercial worm composter. This digester breaks down organic waste and turns it into rich organic fertilizer.

Florida School of Holistic Living is an Orlando-based 501c3 that founded Homegrown Co-op in 2007 and sponsored the Co-op for it's first two years in operation as a project of the school.

In addition, we are grateful to work with the following organizations in the community strengthen our local food shed.

Contact

To partner with us, please call 407.895.5559 or email us.