Meet Wolfram Alderson, Executive Director of Collective Roots

I am delighted to serve in the position of Executive Director for Collective Roots.

For 30 years, I have labored in the fields of social services, having the privilege to serve in many roles and to work with many amazing people. Much of my career has included work involving horticulture therapy and urban agriculture as a medium for learning, healing, and transformation. This work has shaped my ideas about leadership and organization development. (I have written an online essay about this--click here to view).

Collective Roots brings my entire career full circle, allowing me the most incredible opportunity to serve in an organization that is dedicated to serving people and communties in ways that bring me joy and fulfillment every day. Thirty years ago, I discovered that there were whole communities that lacked access to fresh food. (Yes, that is me in the image below, 19 years old, on the cover of "Bread & Justice," at the grand opening of the very first farmers' market in the Los Angeles area, circa 1979) The work that I began then, continues today. Disparities in our food system do not need to exist--and each of us can play a role in bringing "bread and justice" to communities that are long overdue for food system change. We are making progress every day, and we welcome you to join us in this important work.

Please help us achieve our goal to establish a Farmer's Market in East Palo Alto.

Saree Mading, Board Member and Administrator at East Palo Alto Charter School, has written an amazing letter about Collective Roots' initiative to develop the East Palo Alto Community Farmers’ Market. If you have a few minutes, please click here to view this inspiring letter. I am hoping that once you have read Saree’s letter and reviewed the programs that were are featured on our website, you will be inspired to make a donation to Collective Roots.

Nearly 40% of our budget is contributed in-kind. This means that every dollar you give is matched with the generosity of others that stretches precious resources even further. We offer a variety of ways for donors to make a contribution. I can mail you a letter (the old-fashioned way) with a remit envelope, or you can simply click here to make a tax-deductible donation online. Our online donation form is easy to use and only takes a couple of minutes.

There are many ways that you can join our efforts and support the work of Collective Roots. We welcome your involvement as a volunteer. Please review our many volunteer opportunities by clicking here.

However you choose to make a contribution to the work of Collective Roots, your kindness and genorosity will translate into smiles on children's faces when they discover how a tomato grows, and into fresh fruits and vegetables on the tables of families who will no longer have to travel outside their community to obtain whole fresh food from the farm. In the broadest possible terms, your contribution to Collective Roots is an investiment in diversity, creativity, and transformation.