The Story of Rick

Most people know him from winning the title of Bravo’s Top Chef Master, or from his highly rated Public Television Series, seven cookbooks or side-by-side award-winning restaurants in Chicago - Frontera Grill and Topolobampo. He even helped create an award-winning line of salsas, grilling sauces and organic chips called Frontera.

What you may not know is how passionate Rick is about using fresh, organic produce whenever possible in his cooking to create simple, healthy and flavorful organic meals at home and in his restaurants. On the local front, Rick and his staff began the Frontera Farmer Foundation in 2003 to attract support for small Midwestern farms and each year grants are given to local farmers for capital improvements to their family farms.

Seeds of Change is excited to team-up with Rick Bayless as the Sowing Millions Project official spokesperson and celebrate all that he has done to promote the benefits of delicious, honest food. Don’t forget to check out the four exclusive Seeds of Change recipes that Rick created here.

The Story of Rebecca

Rebecca P. Cohen is a busy person. And happily so. Beyond being a mother, she’s also a gardening and outdoor lifestyles expert with a new book to her credit, as well as the hosting duties of a radio and television show.

Rebecca’s been in love with the outdoors since she first sat in the family garden as a three-year-old, eating sweet peas straight from the pod. This memory inspired Rebecca to teach others who wanted to learn how to garden, but didn’t know where to start. After fifteen years in the corporate world, Rebecca started her company, Rebecca Plants LLC, in 2007 to pursue her passion for inspiring others to garden, be outside, and improve their well-being.

At Seeds of Change, we’re proud to support Rebecca’s passion for growing delicious food and helping others create stronger bonds with what they eat. After all, that’s our passion too.

The Story of NYRP

You may have heard of New York Restoration Project (NYRP) before and we wouldn’t be surprised. Entertainer and proud New Yorker, Bette Midler, founded NYRP in 1995 when she set about removing garbage from Fort Tryon Park and Fort Washington Park in Upper Manhattan – with her own two hands.

What began as a grassroots effort led to the founding of environmental non-profit New York Restoration Project and a new standard for greening efforts in New York City in what was, at that time, the very beginning of a greening “ecolution.”

Today, NYRP carries out Bette’s dream of a cleaner, greener New York City. To date, they’ve removed more than 2,094 tons from the city’s open green spaces, planted more than 430,000 trees through MillionTreesNYC and saved 114 community gardens fromcommercial development. NYRP’s environmental educational programs and community events currently serve thousands of New York City youth, families and educators.

As one of our key program ambassadors, we’re proud to support New York Restoration Project and their dedication to cleaning and greening under-resourced parks, community gardens and open spaces in New York City.

The Story of City Slicker Farms

With the lack of a real choice for fresh, affordable and healthy food, community members in Oakland, California banded together to create City Slicker Farms so they could groworganic food right in their own neighborhood. From the very start in 2001, their work has relied upon education, empowerment and building solidarity, resulting in environmental stewardship and community greening.

After just 10 years, City Slicker Farms consists of seven Community Market Farms (spaces open to the public), over 100 Backyard Gardens, a weekly Farm Stand, a greenhouse, and Urban Farming Education programs.The group also has a Policy Advocacy Initiative, using its experience to promote sustainable food systems and a green economy on a regional and statewide basis.

Seeds of Change is excited to celebrate City Slicker Farms activities to preserve and re-imagine inner-citygreen spacefor food production,and serve as a model for urban green growth.

The Story of Mud

Meet Mud Baron. As a University of California Master Gardener, he’s working to make education greener and healthier for thousands of students in Los Angeles and around the nation. Baron’s mantra is simple: kids that grow broccoli, eat broccoli. As the former School Garden Program Specialist and Green Policy Director in one of the most asphalt-dense areas of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Baron worked tirelessly to green-line South L.A. schools. Prior to that he served as a school gardens resource specialist for over 900 schools.

Baron not only reaches the community through education and outreach, but ensures school garden programs are connected to the vital resources and materials they need to thrive. We’re excited to support Mud’s passion for providing others with the tools they need to grow organic fresh food.