New Roots Community Farm is a half-care, urban farm associated with International Rescue Committee. The New Roots program, offers critical services to refugees, asylees, and immigrant communities, in addition to NYC residents interested in tending their own urban farm plots. There is no better example to show that Small Axe’s partnerships are more about people than peppers and we could not be more excited about helping generate revenue to support such an important cause.

By providing new immigrants and refugees opportunities to grow food from their home country, New Roots has earned the name “Rescue Garden”. See more in the videos below:

They offer amazing programs such as New York POWER (Providing Opportunities for Women’s Economic Resilience) Food and Agriculture job training, right here in the Bronx. The POWER Food & Agriculture program is designed to build financial literacy, individual leadership and language skills while building on the agricultural knowledge and experiences clients have brought from their home countries, but the program also fosters a sense of community and friendship amongst the participating women.

For example, last May, five women have shared traditional recipes from their home countries, including Bolani and Ashak from Afghanistan, Chicken and Potato Kabab from Pakistan, and Fatoush from Syria. The participants provided cooking demonstrations at the weekly New Roots Community Farm Market once harvest season begins, and are now working on planting and nurturing their young crops.

Meet Sherryl Durrant! As Farm Coordinator at New Roots, she is responsible for overseeing all the crop management and maintenance of the farm. She works with community volunteers and apprentices to create a crop plan to determined what they grow for the season and how much they grow! She believes that green spaces such as New Roots serve as a place for therapy, a place for community engagement, and lastly, a place to share food, recipes and culture!

Remember, each purchase of Small Axe Hot sauce, directly supports community gardens such as New Roots. We are now working with them in up to 15 new locations throughout the country (more on that to come!). Help support their efforts in providing these marvelous green spaces to the new-comers that make New York, and America, so special.