New Roots Farms Salt Lake City
A new start in a foriegn land
Small Axe Peppers partners with the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City to help newly settled refugees earn income through farming as they transition to their new life in America.

Many refugees and other New Americans come to the U.S. with backgrounds in agriculture. New Roots, a  training and food access initiative of the International Rescue Committee, provides refugees with a way to reconnect with land, grow culturally appropriate vegetables, and leverage their farming skills to earn supplemental income. Small Axe Peppers partners with New Roots Community Gardens in Salt Lake City to source peppers at premium prices so newly arrived refugees can earn income through seasonal direct-market sales.

The New Roots program enables refugees to celebrate their heritage and nourish themselves and their neighbors by planting strong roots—literally—in their new communities. New Roots is about healthy families, secure communities and a more sustainable future. It’s about dignity, determination and the boundless possibility of human connection. And it’s about the power of people to heal and nurture positive change from the ground up.

“This is a very clear lesson on how to partner with other groups to make money"
Kathleen McTigue, program manager for the International Rescue Committee
“Farming is the thread that ties together my life in Chad with the life here in Utah.”
Albert Betoudji, refugee from Chad
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The Somali refugee founders of The New Roots San Diego program said “We want to farm! Is there a place that we can grow food? We want our kids to understand our roots. Can you help us do that? Maybe we can make money that way!”

Each bottle of hot sauce purchased directly supports refugee gardeners and The New Roots program of the International Rescue Committee as well as many other gardens with vibrant social missions to strengthen the fabric of urban neighborhoods.

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Other stories from our partners..

Brook Park Youth Farm
Mott Haven
At Brook Park Youth Farm, the garden's primary caretakers are teenagers with criminal records who were sent to work in the garden through a court order as an alternative to incarceration.
Rockaway Youth Task Force
The Rockaways
Located in the heart of a food desert, Rockaway Youth Task Force’s community garden is a thriving oasis amidst bodegas, fast food restaurants, and grocery stores shuttered since Hurricane Sandy devastated the area in 2012.
La Finca Del Sur
Mott Haven
La Finca del Sur is an urban farm in Mott Haven led by women of color, highlighting the agricultural heritage of its farmers who have roots in the American and global south.