The Creighton neighborhood in Phoenix has seen $7 million in charitable investment since 2013. Food banks, meal programs, community outreach the effort has been real.
But hunger hasn't gone away. That's because charity alone can't fix a broken food system.
When families have to choose between groceries, rent, and medicine every month, a donated meal helps today but changes nothing tomorrow. We decided to try something different.
"In Creighton, nearly every child qualifies for free school lunch. One in three households deals with nutrition-related disease."
Our Community
A New Model:
Production, Not Just Distribution
We replace the broken cycle with a community-owned food system where inner-city Phoenix feeds itself. Small, high-yield vertical farms embedded directly in neighborhoods create a resilient, dignified model for food access.
Community - Owned Production
Families engage in employment community gardens, and backyard systems
Sustainable Revenue
High-value mushroom crops fund free produce for local families
Neighborhood Integrations
Small farms embedded directly with communities they serve.
How FrescaGrow Works
A sustainable economic engine that transforms communities.
GROW
High-yield vertical farms in shipping containers grow premium mushrooms and fresh produce year-round
SELL
Mushrooms sold to restaurants at $16.50/lb generate sustainable revenue to fund operations
FEED
Revenue funds free, fresh produce distributed directly to food-insecure families
It doesn't stop at free groceries.
Families aren't just on the receiving end they're part of the system. Some find employment at the farms. Others grow food in their own backyards through our garden program. Students at local schools learn urban agriculture and pick up real job skills. A few neighbors have started taking what they grow to local markets.
Get Involved
Why Mushrooms?
Our economic engine is powered by the robust mushroom market. Mushrooms offer high margins and consistent yields, are well adapted to efficient vertical farming, and have enormous demand across multiple sectors.
As a delicacy crop, they command premium prices in restaurants and local markets, where our target of $16.50/lb is readily achievable. Simultaneously, mushrooms are a staple ingredient for large-scale food distributors and manufacturers, providing a stable, high-volume sales channel. The USDA confirms a $1B+ U.S. market with strong growth in specialty varieties - the right foundation for perpetual community food growth.
Confirmed by USDA with strong growth in specialty varieties the right foundation for perpetual community food growth.
$1B+ U.S. Market
A Unique Partnership for Fiscally Sustainable Transformative Community impact
Our Impact by the Numbers
195,000
lbs
1,800
Annual production
Households served
Living-wage jobs
40
200+
Community growers
Every dollar earned goes back into growing more food.
FrescaGrow isn't just a plan to end hunger, it's the blueprint for a transformed city.
Join us in building a future where every family has access to fresh, nutritious food.
Operated by: Creighton Community Foundation
3219 E Camelback Rd, #376
Phoenix, AZ 85018
© 2026 Creighton Community Foundation. All rights reserved
