Growing Hope: Tempe’s New Food Forest Tackles Hunger and Builds Community

Reporter: Arzo Yousofzai

TEMPE- Zuhal Azizi walked through rows of new garden beds as volunteers handed out plant lists and explained how the project works at a recent open house. She wanted to learn how she might grow food in her apartment.

“It made me hopeful that even families like mine can participate,” said Azizi, an Arizona State University student and Tempe Apache resident. 

The Tempe Food Forest open house drew residents, many of them families, considering the growing solutions to food insecurity. Tempe launched its first Food Forest on Saturday, Sept 6 at the EnVision Center, where a pilot project aimed at tackling hunger, adapting to climate change and building neighborhood resilience. 

“It’s like a natural forest, but entirely edible,” said Helene Tack, Project Coordinator.

She said the space will eventually include fruit and nut trees, vines, shrubs and groundcover plants that can survive desert conditions. 

“We’re transforming what used to be empty parking spaces into a living landscape where people can learn to grow food and build community.” She added. 

The design features desert-adapted plants such as mesquite, quince, chuparosa, Magdalena squash and chiltepin peppers. A rainwater cistern with a 7,500-gallon capacity will collect runoff from the building’s roof, providing water for the pollinator garden. 

These systems will highlight sustainable practices like rainwater harvesting, stormwater retention and composting (Tack). Raised beds and wide pathways can make the garden accessible to children, seniors and people with disabilities.

“The goal is to show people they can grow food at home whether in a backyard or even on a balcony,” Tack said. 

She added that the Envision Center will also host workshops on topics such as desert-friendly cooking, nutrition and food as medicine.

Some parents expressed concerns about growing food in apartments where there is a little outdoor space. Organizers demonstrated how families could use large containers or vertical garden systems to grow vegetables and herbs indoors or on patios.

This event is especially helpful for apartment residents, Tack said, teaching them how to grow fruits and vegetables in limited spaces.

For the City of Tempe, the Food Forest is more than a garden; it is part of a larger strategy to address food insecurity, said Kaci Fankhauser, Community Coordinator. 

“We want this to be a space where people can learn how to grow food in small urban areas,” she said. “By teaching cooking, nutrition and food as medicine, we are making sustainability something everyone can take part in.”

Fankhauser said her personal passion for desert ecology and pollinators connects closely with the project and noted that navigating city permits and planning requirements has been one of the biggest challenges.

“If we can succeed here, it shows that even in the desert, communities can take control of their food system,” she said.

Several volunteers said they hope the Food Forest teaches younger generations where their food comes from. Others said they were eager to share knowledge about growing desert friendly plants in backyards or community spaces.

Looking ahead, Fankhauser said she hopes the Food Forest will inspire similar projects throughout Tempe and beyond.

“This is about resilience,” she said. “If we can grow food here, it means communities everywhere can find solutions for the future.”