Will Allen is a farmer and activist who has transformed two acres within an urban, impoverished Milwaukee neighborhood into a hotbed of agricultural innovation. As co-founder and director of Growing Power, he teaches low-cost farming methods, involves young people in developing a culture of nutritious eating, and experiments continuously with new designs for food distribution amongst the urban poor.
Growing Power is a national nonprofit organization and land trust providing hands-on training, on-the-ground demonstration, outreach and technical assistance through the development of Community Food Systems that help people grow, process, market and distribute food in a sustainable manner.
Will Allen received a "Genius Award" from the MacArthur Foundation for his food revolution and work with Growing Power in Milwaukee. In September of 2009, the Wisconsin Humanities Council invited him to speak with community leaders and a large crowd in Madison.
Read the New York Times Magazine article, "Street Farmer" by Elizabeth Royte, by clicking here.
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Will Allen with the event organizers from the WHC.
© 2009 Debbie Kmetz
The Wisconsin Humanities Council organizes events to encourage conversations to strengthen community life. Event organizers with Will Allen, clockwise, are Jessica Becker, Fabu Carter Brisco, and Alison Jones Chaim.






