The I Could Do Great Things Foundation is proud to support the groundbreaking and innovative student-led initiative in Wilmington, Delaware is trying to address food insecurity and access to nutritionally dense food in the Eastside district of Wilmington.  The COVID-19 pandemic unearthed food access disparities in communities of color, resulting in an average of 1 in 8 Delaware residents living in “food deserts” without reliable access to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods—with many of these deserts being located in the upper Eastside of Wilmington and New Castle County where the Odyssey Charter and Bancroft Middle Schools are located.

Equipped with innovative vertical farming technology that explores how urban agricultural development can be a viable solution for feeding a growing global population, students at the Bancroft school are growing and will distribute 300+ pounds of hydroponically grown leafy greens to the Wilmington Eastside community during the 2021-2022 school year.  This is in addition to the 4,000 assembled meal kits to be distributed to the Eastside community by the Odyssey Charter School.  These culturally relevant meal kits feature simple ingredients and fresh hydroponically grown leafy greens including kale, bok choy, rainbow chard, collards, lettuce, arugula, spinach, and other herbs.  It is the hope of the Odyssey Charter and Bancroft schools that this hydroponic initiative can be duplicated in other Delawarean communities to address food disparities in underserved BIPOC communities.