The 2023 IBTTA Foundation Annual Service Project supported The Nashville Food Project (TNFP) at the Community Farm at Mill Ridge. TNFP is a non-profit organization that grows, cooks, and shares nourishing food to cultivate community and alleviate poverty. The organization’s urban gardens connect Nashville residents with affordable land access, agricultural education, tools and resources, and community relationships, so they may grow, sell, and access fresh produce for themselves and their families.
Our service day goal was to increase productivity at one of TNFP’s large urban farms by bringing new water sources onto the land. A 5,000-gallon water tank and three new water catchment stations were constructed and painted so that more people can farm the land effectively to support their families and communities. IBTTA volunteers also built a machine shed, expanded the apiary by building bee hive boxes, worked on garden expansion and cleaned up and seeded garden plots, along with general farm organization. Boy, we were tired but it was worth it—more than 100 volunteers delivered what the Foundation promised we could accomplish.
A special thanks to our Project Champions: Tennessee Department of Transportation, Atkins, Emovis, HNTB, IntelliRoad, Kimley Horn, Milligan Partners, TransCore and Wyndalco for their financial and volunteer support.
