Cabbage, Greens, Tomatoes, and Dreams...
The summer of 2020 has been hard on everyone - closed schools, athletics, and summer programs - but few communities have been hit harder than the youth of the Austin community of Chicago. Austin also has some of the strongest organizations bringing hope and solutions.
By The Hand Club For Kids connected with professional football player Sam Acho who was interested in hearing from youth directly. Sam brought together fellow Chicago pro athletes including Jonathan Toews and Malcolm Subban from the Blackhawks, Jason Heyward from the Cubs, Diamond DeShields from the Sky, Max Strus from the Bulls, and many others to talk with Austin's youth.
Austin Harvest Opened August 20th | Source: Teska
Sam Acho With Members of Austin Harvest | Source: Teska
"We are really excited to be here. We are dreaming with you!"
- Sam Acho, Professional Football Player
Keith of Austin Harvest Selling Produce | Source: Teska
Donnita Travis, executive director of By The Hand reached out to Scott Goldstein of Teska to see if Team Teska would facilitate youth listening sessions. Of course, the answer was yes. In just 8 weeks from the first session, Austin Harvest was born due to the generosity and commitment of the athletes led by Sam. The pop-up food market responds to what athletes heard from youth:
"We need more variety of food. All the healthy stuff is expensive."
"A lot of people have so little and I have a house... I want to serve and give to others."
Sam Acho, at an in-person but socially distanced session at By The Hand on June 11, stated "We are really excited to be here. We are dreaming with you!"
And the dream is underway. On August 20, Austin Harvest opened, with groups of 25 at a time stopping by to meet-and-greet, pick up fresh food and flowers, listen to music, and enjoy themselves.
High school students such as Bryce and Keith have been with the project from the beginning. On this sunny day, they offered tomatoes, cabbage, greens, bananas, and most of all, a dream delivered.
PRESS
Chicago Tribune Article
"On the site where a looted liquor store once stood, teens now run Austin Harvest, an open-air market stocked with produce, flowers and hope" | August 20, 2020
CBS Chicago Channel 2 News
"Sam Acho Joins Young People To Turn Old Liquor Store Into Fresh Food Mart In South Austin" | August 19, 2020