Added Value

Submitted by Femke Hoekstra on Mon, 12/18/2006 - 11:30

"Added Value is a non-profit organization promoting the sustainable development of Red Hook by nurturing a new generation of young leaders. They work towards this goal by creating opportunities for the youth of South Brooklyn to expand their knowledge base, develop new skills and positively engage with their community through the operation of a socially responsible urban farming enterprise.

Since opening their doors Added Value has provided long-term training to more than 85 neighborhood teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19, provided hundreds of local elementary school students with educational programs and worked thousands of volunteers to build a more just and sustainable future for all.

Together they have helped revitalize local parks, transformed vacant lands into vibrant Urban Farms, improved our access to healthy, safe and affordable food, and begun to grow an economy that supports the needs of our community.

Their successes are due, in large part, to their ability to weave together a Community Advisory Council representing 30 local, regional and national institutions that support their work to improve the neighborhood by creating youth leaders.

Currently, Added Value has four main initiatives: Youth Empowerment, Urban Agriculture, Building a Just Food System, and Farm-to-Classroom."