Meet These Advocates for a Better Food System
Oct 31, 2025 ● By Bob Benenson
Urban Growers Collective plants and hoophouse. Photo credit Bob Benenson.
Those of us that regularly buy from local farmers—at farmers markets, co-ops or via e-commerce—play an important role in advancing the movement for a better, healthier, more sustainable food system. However, there is only so much individuals can do to address systemic problems created by the dominant conventional food system and to use the power of food to tackle broader societal issues.
Fortunately, the Chicago region is home to numerous nonprofits that advocate for positive changes and rally public support for priorities that benefit both people and the planet.
This article highlights just some of the many city and suburban organizations working to advance a better food system. Readers may wish to learn more about these and other groups and consider including one or more in their end-of-year donations (Giving Tuesday is on December 2).
Chicago Chefs Cook group from March 2025. Photo credit Bob Benenson
Chicago Chefs Cook: Chef Philanthropy
Chicagoland’s culinary community has long been known for its philanthropy and generosity, crystallized in this organization. Chicago Chefs Cook began in 2022 as a pop-up tasting event known as “Chicago Chefs Cook for Ukraine” to benefit World Central Kitchen’s efforts. Since then, it has hosted numerous food events to aid a variety of humanitarian causes.
Their Vision: “The efforts of Chicago Chefs Cook have amplified the role of chefs in the Chicagoland area from purveyors of culture-rich culinary experiences to multidimensional social leaders.”
Experimental Station: Increasing Access To Healthy Food
Improving access to healthy, locally produced food is the highest priority of Experimental Station. Its 61st Street Farmers Market is the largest of its kind on Chicago’s South Side. Experimental Station also runs the Link Up Illinois program, which funds initiatives at markets that double the value of government food assistance benefits.
Their Vision: “A future where all Illinoisans have access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food; where young people flourish and are safe; where the voices of the community are elevated and heard; and where small, local businesses and organizations thrive.”
Volunteer: ExperimentalStation.org/get-involved.
Farmers Rising: Beginning And Early-Stage Farmer Education
Farmers Rising is the Chicago region’s leading farmer training nonprofit. Based in Caledonia, in northcentral Illinois, Farmers Rising offers its Farm Beginnings Intensive for those seeking to become farmers or that have been farmers for five years or less. The organization recently launched a livestock incubator farm program and runs a community-supported agriculture program at its Rockford urban farm.
Their Vision: “At Farmers Rising, we lift up the people doing local and regenerative farming. We are at the forefront of farmer training and public education, actively working to develop a vibrant, creative community centered around local food.”
Gardeneers: School Gardens On Chicago’s South And West Sides
Since its founding in 2014, Chicago-based Gardeneers has built and maintained customized school gardens in communities on the city’s South and West sides. The organization works to connect these communities with resources that help create a more equitable food system.
Their Vision: “Gardeneers works with Chicago’s South and West Side schools and communities to contribute positively to the larger food system. We do this by supporting youth in our school garden and farm programs to build their own knowledge, skills and habits to become leaders who care for themselves, their environment and their communities.”
Volunteer: Gardeneers.org/get-involved/volunteer-now.
Growing Home: Urban Farming And Job Training
Based in the Englewood community on Chicago’s South Side since 2002, Growing Home is a USDA-Certified Organic urban farm, workforce development center and nonprofit social enterprise. Its farm and other growing spaces help improve access to healthy, hyperlocal food for community members facing food insecurity. The organization also provides job training and placement assistance.
Their Vision: “We believe that everyone deserves a good job, to eat well and to live in a vibrant, supported community.”
Volunteer: GrowingHomeInc.org/volunteer.
Impact Culinary Learning: Restaurant Skills Education For Young People
Legendary Chicago Chef Rick Bayless founded Impact Culinary Learning in 2019 to educate and provide skills to young people, enabling them to pursue job and career opportunities in Chicago’s world-class restaurant sector. The culinary training program is open to Chicago adults ages 18 to 24 and includes an eight-week classroom course, followed by a four-week paid internship at a Chicagoland restaurant.
Their Vision: “Located in the Hatchery, East Garfield Park’s innovative food and beverage incubator, Impact Culinary helps Chicago young adults pursue their dreams of entering the hospitality industry through our specialized, no-cost training program.”
Pilot Light: Integrating Food Education In School Curriculums
Pilot Light has been led since its founding in 2010 by renowned Chicago chefs Jason Hammel, Paul Kahan and Matthias Merges to encourage schools to integrate lessons about food into their standard curriculums. Under the strong leadership of Executive Director Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn, the organization has grown from a one-school experimental program to a national leader, working directly with educators in many communities and providing guidance to schools everywhere through its food education standards.
Their Vision: “Pilot Light’s mission is to support students as they learn and advocate for informed choices by bridging the lessons they learn in their classrooms to the foods on their lunch trays, at home and in their communities.”
Volunteer: PilotLightChefs.org/how-you-can-support/pilot-light-volunteer.
Urban Growers Collective Fresh Moves bus. Photo credit Bob Benenson.
Urban Growers Collective: Urban Farming, Food Access And Training
Urban Growers Collective promotes the importance of urban farming and is designed to build heathier, stronger communities. Founded by activist Erika Allen, the organization provides jobs and job training to help create economic opportunities for youth and beginner Black, Indigenous and people of color urban farmers; mitigate food insecurity; and increase access to affordable, culturally affirming and nutritionally dense food in neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West sides.
Their Vision: “Our core values honor shared leadership and collective decision making; racial, economic, gender and LGBTQ+ equity; and employee well-being.”
Volunteer: UrbanGrowersCollective.org/tour-and-volunteer.
Natural Awakenings Chicago welcomes readers to share their own nonprofit organizations in the food system-focused space by emailing [email protected].
Bob Benenson is the writer and publisher of Local Food Forum, a Chicago-based publication that maintains a regional farmers market tracker and covers the markets regularly. For more information, visit LocalFoodForum.com.
