Appetite for Change
The Appetite for Change urban agriculture program was born out of conversations with North Side community members in Minneapolis who expressed their desire to grow their own food. Appetite for Change (AFC) initially partnered with a local community council to use a small city lot to grow fruits and vegetables. The small endeavor grew, and AFC produce was grown in nine different spaces in North Minneapolis as youth and community members learned to grow their own food.
After 10 years of growing food in north Minneapolis, AFC has streamlined its operations to three growing spaces. Two are considered production growing areas and produce grown at these sites is used to support the West Broadway Farmers Market that AFC operates. The produce also is used to fulfill local contracts and support AFC’s Community Cooks workshops. The third grow site is a community garden where AFC regularly hosts community events.
AFC has erected a deep winter greenhouse on one of its sites to grow food year-round; a hoop house is used on another site to extend the growing season.
Tasha Powell is co-founder and president of Appetite for Change. She leads the organization by guiding AFC’s members, programming, and the path forward. She is a lifelong North Minneapolis resident and is active in the local food justice movement, advocating for and giving back to her community. Tasha is passionate about access and knowledge for North Side families.
Darryl Lindsay is vice president of social enterprise for AFC. Darryl supervises day-to-day operations and provides human resources support and management expertise. Darryl is a Los Angeles native with 25 years of experience working in the private sector, as a schoolteacher, a private investigator, and a database administrator. He is an avid urban farmer.
Frank Licari is AFC’s urban agriculture program facilitator. Frank is a Minnesota native with a deep love for food and farming. Frank cultivates urban plots throughout north Minneapolis growing vibrant and nutritious food for the community. Frank brings a myriad of skills to the team including wholesale vegetable farming, landscaping, forestry, conservation and knowledge of permaculture.
When it started, AFC developed strategic partnerships with community members to use their land to grow food. Now the organization partners with Freedom Works and Salem Lutheran Church. AFC hosts a seed and seedling giveaway each spring for community members.