Tori Derr, Former Executive Director

I was fortunate to be involved with Collective Roots during a time of exciting growth and challenge. I had been engaged in garden based education, informal environmental education, and community development in a number of contexts prior to working with Collective Roots, and I was excited by the unique way that Collective Roots integrated garden-based learning into the East Palo Alto Charter School.

Unfortunately, as I was driving across the country to start work for Collective Roots, I received a call informing me that a nearby chemical waste treatment facility had released a potentially toxic chemical plume across the Bay and very near to EPACS’ garden site. My first months at the school were spent determining the exact nature of the release and any potential risks to the garden. Though an emotionally charged time for students and staff, the release provided several important messages for Collective Roots. First, it reinforced the importance of providing garden-based programming in communities such as East Palo Alto, which are constantly at greater risk for environment-related hazards and diseases. Neighboring communities have thriving gardens safe from such risks. The initial response of many was that the garden should be shut down and programming moved to another site, but I felt very strongly that we needed to do everything possible to keep the garden at EPACS. I didn’t want the students and families of EPACS to receive the message that when garden programming faced challenges similar to those in the community, it would seek “higher” ground elsewhere. The release also mobilized many parents and community groups in helping staff and students rebuild the garden and ensure its safety. We also had a record setting year of fundraising from individuals, with in-kind and cash donations coming to the aid of Collective Roots work and allowing the programs to continue throughout the school year. Heartbreaking as it was for those who had worked so hard to establish the previously thriving garden, I was impressed by the commitment of the Board, staff, students, and family members to start anew.

Despite the struggles the chemical release presented, or perhaps because of them, I wasn’t at the school long before momentum pushed Collective Roots toward food systems change issues. We thought that engaging in these issues would be a wonderful means of integrating youth development at EPACS with a real need in the community for access to healthy, fresh produce. We had one of the most energizing staff retreats I’ve ever participated in, generating a fountain of ideas for the next several years. Included in these was the idea that students could produce food for families in the community, provide mobile or backyard gardening programming, and support the re-surfacing movement in East Palo Alto for a community farmers’ market. We were lucky to have support from some key funders, such as the California Endowment and Franklin and Catherine Johnson Foundation, which allowed our staff to carry this work forward. This was an exciting and invigorating time, as we began to expand not only our garden-based programming elsewhere in the District, but also expand the types of programming Collective Roots’ provided. The organization was successfully growing from a garden project to a an emerging non-profit with a diversity of exciting programming initiatives in a very short time.

I left Collective Roots to move my family back to our home in New Mexico. The decision to leave during this time of exciting growth was very difficult for me, but I have been thrilled to follow Collective Roots progress toward real food systems change in the past year. As I raise my own 2 year-old, I am ever more committed to the need for all families and children to have access to safe, healthy food in their communities. I hope you will support Collective Roots’ efforts to bring a farmers’ market to 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. Once you have read Saree’s letter and have reviewed the programs that are featured on this website, you will surely be inspired to make a donation to Collective Roots.

Nearly 40% of Collective Roots' 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. Collective Roots offers a variety of ways for donors to make a contribution. Collective Roots 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. The online donation form is easy to use and only takes a couple of minutes.

There are many ways that you can join the efforts and support the work of Collective Roots. Perhaps you might like to become a volunteer? Please review Collective Roots' many volunteer opportunities by clicking here.