founder and director of operations and development of just roots sean ruane could have never imagined being accepted into aspen institute’s food leaders fellowship in august.

a colleague recommended he apply due to his work at just roots, a group partnering with grassroots organizations where they have turned two vacant plots of land into community farms within the chicagoland area. ruane said they grow and distribute over 25,000 pounds of food each year at their farms, impacting over 8,500 people on an annual basis. 

ruane, originally an educator from chicago, founded just roots after conversations with students, parents, and teachers about the number of vacant lots in the city. ruane also said in their conversations it came up “time and time again” about the lack of access to community green space and to fresh foods. 

“that’s where the initial spark of the organization started,” ruane said. 

ruane added he remembers one conversation where a parent was “frustrated” over this problem. 

areas of chicago face food insecurity, or what some people like to call a food apartheid, ruane said. he said this term recognizes the connection between systematic racism and the issues of food insecurity. these areas where food apartheid is prevalent are predominantly in communities of color within the west and south sides of the city, he added. 

according to the greater chicagoland hunger report, 25% of people in the greater chicagoland area face food insecurity. additionally, 36% of people also cannot afford the basic cost of living within their county, per the same report. 

diet quality is the leading risk factor for death in the united states, according to the aspen institute’s research on food. the research also said living in a household faced with food insecurity can lead to increased risk of having a chronic condition. 

ruane said on average the communities just roots serves have a poverty rate of 24% and an employment rate of 12%. 

“the food we grow stays within a five mile radius,” ruane said.  

ruane added their farms are sustainable as they run using regenerative agriculture. he said they are using practices which not only help grow food to nourish people, but also nourish the soil. this is an aspect of agriculture he said the aspen fellowship shows a lot of interest in. 

during the 18 month long fellowship, ruane said he will continue to engage in in-depth conversations with the 17 other fellows in the program. he said all of them do work on agriculture and food, but they are doing it on different scales and have unique perspectives on their work. 

he said during the program, the fellows are able to discuss how they can do their work better and create a better future for the communities they serve.

“i’m excited to experience the rest of the process,” ruane said.