Written by Lindsay Grohs
This past week, I had the privilege of attending breakfast with the company 4Roots. To say I was amazed by this company’s mission, vision, goals, and impact would be an understatement. 4Roots’ mission and vision surround the idea of sustainability and fighting hunger through educational agriculture. They do this by providing information and resources about food and its cycle. They are building a campus in Orlando, Florida, that will consist of a greenhouse, farm, agricultural museum, events center, educational building, farm-to-table restaurant, apiary, “cooking cottage," and guest cottages. All of these elements will play into the company’s overall goal of sharing sustainable farming, eating, and waste practices with the community.
History of 4Roots
4Roots was founded in 2015 by John Rivers, who also owns and operates the restaurant group 4Rivers. The idea for 4Roots came to life after John Rivers and his wife attended a mission trip abroad. On this mission trip, the Rivers had a chance to see world hunger in its truest form. This trip not only opened their eyes to the effects of world hunger on individuals and the environment but also sparked a sense of inspiration within them to create a change. Upon returning to the United States, this initiative began to grow. John wanted to create a business that would use agriculture to teach people where their food came from and the uses for it (health benefits, treating diseases, etc.), sustainability practices, and promote giving back to communities in need. With this vision, John and his team developed the key “roots” of their business, which are education, health & well-being, sustainability, and economic development.
A few years later, after spreading the story and mission to partners in the community, Dr. Phillips Charities donated a 40-acre chunk of land to 4Roots to fund their campus plan. This gave 4Roots the land they would need to complete all of their objectives. Since then, the company has continued to grow in community partners, individuals they help, and the programs they foster.
Programs & Partners
The programs that 4Roots helps foster include Fresh, Meet the Need, K-12 education, Culinary Health Institute (CHI), and O-Town Compost. Fresh “sells local, seasonal, and responsibly grown produce, meats, dairy products, eggs, and other pantry essentials” to consumers (4Roots, n.d.).
Meet the Need minimizes food waste by creating meal kits to provide families, schools, churches, and neighborhoods in need with healthy food. K-12 education includes 4Roots partnering with local schools to educate students about food and farming. The Culinary Health Institute at 4Roots aims to use food as medicine and for health-related causes in various ways. Lastly, 4Roots is partnered with O-Town Compost, a company whose goal is to alleviate waste by turning scraps into compost and using it as soil for the 4Roots farm, among other uses.
As far as partners go, 4Roots is partnered with over 50 companies within nearby communities. A few include Seaworld, Publix Charities, VisitOrlando, AdventHealth, Orlando Pride, Dr. Phillips Charities, and many more. These partnerships have greatly helped them fund their goals and projects thus far.
Campus Layout
4Roots is still in its early stages as a company. While both their vision and blueprints for the campus layout are complete, the campus itself is still in the beginning stage of its construction. If you were to visit the campus today, you would see the aquaponic greenhouse along with the education building and the early stages of a farm with a wide range of plants. The greenhouse is aquaponic, meaning it is powered by fish. Yes, you heard that right... fish! The nine different growing systems fostered by the greenhouse are watered, fertilized, and developed with the help of fish. There are 400 tilapia stored in two large tanks. The water from these tanks gets filtered out to water the plants in the greenhouse. The fish’s waste gets used as fertilizer for the plants. And, at the end of the fish’s life cycle, it can be consumed! This system is full-circle, ensuring that there is no waste produced at any point in the cycle.
Next up on our virtual tour is the education building. The education building is not only beautiful but also largely sustainable. The entire building is a regenerative design, meaning it’s solar-powered and collects water from the outside. Behind the education building is a field of more plants, planted for educational purposes, such as school field trips.
What the Future Holds
As 4Roots continues its journey towards alleviating hunger within local communities, it remains committed to fostering sustainable food systems, empowering individuals through education, and building stronger connections between people and the land. 4Roots strives to create a place that “educates, inspires, and engages” citizens. With the power of hands-on learning, access to healthy food and healthcare, and additional resources, 4Roots cannot only live out its mission but make a profound impact on the world.
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