Nuestras Raices Inc

What Nuestras Raices Inc does

Nuestras Raices Inc is a Holyoke, Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 by Puerto Rican farmers to advance urban agriculture and food equity in the Latino community. The organization operates La Finca, a 30-acre urban farm, and supports a network of community gardens through which more than 300 families grow culturally relevant food. Its Mobile Market program distributes fresh produce directly to Holyoke neighborhoods — including four public housing communities (Elmwood Towers, Prospect Heights, Pulaski Heights, Sycamore Towers) — addressing food-desert conditions in Hampden County. Complementary programs include Nuestro Aire Saludable (community-based air quality research), Nuestros Arboles Nuestra Salud (urban tree planting and climate resilience), Educational Programs and Workshops covering food safety, farming, financial literacy, and the Food Hub Initiative focused on market development for cultural crops. Annual events such as the Harvest Festival and Jíbaro Festival anchor community engagement, drawing over 1,000 attendees.

The organization operates on a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining charitable donations and grants, modest program fees, and direct produce sales. Pricing on fee-based programs is deliberately accessible: $30 annual community garden plot rental, $75-85 ServSafe certification, $100 baking workshops, $20 cookie kits. The bulk of operating support comes from institutional funders, with anchor partners including USDA, MA Department of Agricultural Resources, UMass Amherst Extension, Feeding America, The Food Bank, MGCC, and a portfolio of regional foundations (Harold Grinspoon, Lawson Valentine, Davis, Windward). Leadership is provided by Executive Director Hilda Roque. There is no proprietary software, app, or AI/ML capability disclosed; the technology stack is operational (urban farming, mobile distribution logistics, community programming).

The company's GTM motion is community-led, with reach generated through grassroots urban agriculture programs, trusted community partnerships, cultural festivals, and direct engagement with Latino households in Holyoke. Social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) collectively carry 29,266 followers and serve primarily as top-of-funnel awareness drivers. Customer segments are highly distributed: low-to-moderate income Latino families (primary), Hampden County residents facing food-access barriers, and food entrepreneurs seeking commercial kitchen access and certifications. No revenue figure is disclosed in the available source material.

Name

Nuestras Raices Inc

Legal name

Nuestras Raíces Inc

Website

https://nuestras-raices.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nuestras Raices Inc is a Holyoke, Massachusetts 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that advances urban agriculture, food equity, and Latino cultural preservation through a 30-acre farm, community gardens serving 300+ families, a Mobile Market, environmental health programs, and educational workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Agriculture and Community Farming

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Urban agriculture programs
• Community gardening
• Food equity initiatives
• Mobile farmers market
• Agricultural education

Headquarters

HQ city

Holyoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations supporting the mission of food equity and urban agriculture
2. Program Service Fees: Fees for educational workshops, certifications (ServSafe), and community garden plot rentals
3. Mobile Market Sales: Revenue from selling fresh, local produce through the Mobile Market program

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nuestras Raices Inc is a grassroots nonprofit urban agriculture organization that operates La Finca, a 30-acre urban farm, alongside community gardens supporting more than 300 families, a Mobile Market distributing fresh culturally relevant produce, and educational workshops covering farming, food safety, and financial literacy for the Latino community in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Product overview

Nuestras Raices Inc is a grassroots urban agriculture organization based in Holyoke, MA. Its programs include Community Gardens (supporting over 300 families), La Finca (a 30-acre urban farm hub), the Mobile Market (bringing fresh food to neighborhoods), Nuestro Aire Saludable (air quality research), Nuestros Árboles Nuestra Salud (urban forest equity), Educational Programs and Workshops (covering food justice, farming, and financial topics), the Food Hub Initiative, and annual events such as the Harvest Festival. Together these programs create a comprehensive approach to urban agriculture, food equity, environmental health, and community empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Finca: A 30-acre urban farm hub for sustainable agriculture in Holyoke where families and youth grow fresh food and develop leadership skills.
• Mobile Market

Products and services

• Community Gardens Urban agriculture initiative supporting more than 300 families in growing culturally relevant food, preserving Latino traditions, and strengthening health, leadership, and neighborhood connections.
• La Finca Urban Farm A 30-acre sustainable agriculture hub where families and youth grow fresh food, preserve Latino farming traditions, and develop leadership, economic opportunity, and community well-being. Includes an on-site farm store where community farmers sell fresh produce and flowers.
• Mobile Market Mobile market van that brings fresh, local, and culturally relevant food to Holyoke neighborhoods, strengthening food security, community health, and economic opportunities for regional farmers.
• Nuestro Aire Saludable Community-based research project that collects air quality data in Holyoke and Hampden County to identify pollutants, raise awareness, and support healthier communities.
• Nuestros Arboles Nuestra Salud Urban forest equity program advancing tree planting and care in Latino communities to improve environmental health, climate resilience, and local leadership.
• Educational Programs and Workshops Educational programs and workshops in Holyoke that empower entrepreneurs and small businesses, covering food justice, leadership, economic development, farming techniques, financial literacy, ServSafe certification, and specialized cultural cooking classes.
• Food Hub Initiative Initiative to promote a more equitable food system and increase family access to healthy food while developing markets for cultural crops.
• Nuestra Comida Food equity program focused on community food access and culturally appropriate nutrition.
• Harvest Festival Annual celebration of harvest, culture, and community at La Finca featuring food, live music, dancing, farmer's market, and children's activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ families grow culturally relevant food through community gardens
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UMass Amherst ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of farmer training programs; provides agricultural expertise and educational resources for season-long training series
• The Trustees of ReservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of farmer training and urban agriculture initiatives
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational food bank network partner supporting food security initiatives
• The Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food bank partner supporting food distribution and security programs
• Health Institute of Western MAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth partner supporting community wellness initiatives
• Conservation Law FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental advocacy organization supporting sustainable agriculture initiatives
• TerraCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmeriCorps program placing members with nonprofit organizations; Nuestras Raíces hosted Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator
• Dr. Megan Patton López (UMass)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing educational programs on diabetes and healthy eating

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Feeding America: National food-bank network and one of Nuestras Raíces's core strategic partners. Not a competitor but an ecosystem enabler providing food-distribution scale and policy advocacy that complements Nuestras Raíces's on-the-ground programming.

Broad incumbents

• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit focused on affordable access to healthy, local food through produce prescriptions and incentives. Operates one level removed from on-the-ground production but shares food-equity mission and federal-grant funding pool.
• Green City Growers: Somerville, MA urban-farming organization building raised-bed gardens and providing urban-ag services to schools, homeowners, and businesses. Comparable urban-agriculture category but more service-oriented/commercial than community-empowerment model.
• Boston Area Gleaners: Massachusetts nonprofit rescuing surplus farm produce and distributing it to food-insecure communities. Adjacent peer operating in the same MA food-equity space with complementary but not identical model (gleaning vs. urban production).

Direct peers

• Mill City Grows: Lowell, MA nonprofit focused on urban agriculture, community gardens, and a mobile farmers market serving underserved communities. Directly comparable model combining community gardens, mobile market, and food equity programming.
• The Food Project: Massachusetts-based nonprofit operating urban and suburban farms that combine food production with youth development and food access. Highly comparable to Nuestras Raíces in geography, urban-agriculture model, and youth/community programming.
• Global Greens: Iowa-based program supporting refugee and immigrant farmers with land, training, and market access. Closely mirrors the immigrant-farm training and cultural-preservation model that distinguishes Nuestras Raíces.
• Just Roots: Greenfield, MA nonprofit running a community farm, CSA, and food-access programming for low-income residents. Operates a similar farm + education + food-access stack in Western Massachusetts and serves comparable low-to-moderate-income populations.
• World Farmers: Lancaster, MA nonprofit supporting immigrant and refugee farmers with land access, training, and market development. Strong peer on the immigrant-agriculture, training, and market-access dimensions that mirror Nuestras Raíces.

Regional players

• Urban Edge Farm: Cranston, RI nonprofit supporting new and beginning farmers with land, training, and markets. Strong peer on training, market access, and small-farm incubation, though serving a different regional geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NuestrasRaices1992
• Facebookfacebook.com/NuestrasRaices1992
• Instagraminstagram.com/nuestrasraicesholyoke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nuestras-raices-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nuestras Raices Inc