Community Farm & Residential Program

Every kid deserves
a place to grow

RootRise is a residential farm for young people aging out of foster care. We grow food year-round. We teach life skills that stick. We build a path from the system to self-sufficiency.

Get Involved → See the Program
18,500
Youth age out annually
30%
Homeless before 26
50%
Unemployed at 24
10-20
Youth housed at a time

The system ends.
The struggle doesn't.

At 18 or 21, foster youth lose their housing, their caseworker, and their safety net—all at once. Most have never cooked a meal, paid a bill, or held a lease. The system prepared them for nothing except leaving it.

80%
Experience significant mental health challenges
3-6 mo
Educational loss per involuntary placement move
13
Average placements before discharge for teens entering care at 11-14
$0
What most aged-out youth have to start independent life
The Program

Level up. For real.

RootRise uses a progressive skill-building model. Youth don't just attend classes—they advance through real milestones that build on each other. Every level unlocks new responsibilities, freedoms, and opportunities.

Level 1 / Seedling

Foundation

Settle in. Learn the basics of farm life and daily routines.

  • Cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene
  • Greenhouse basics and soil prep
  • Budgeting and financial literacy intro
  • Trauma-informed counseling begins
Level 2 / Sprout

Growth

Take ownership. Lead farm projects and build real skills.

  • Manage a greenhouse section independently
  • Resume building and interview prep
  • GED or high school completion support
  • Community engagement and mentorship
Level 3 / Harvest

Leadership

Mentor newer residents. Explore career and education paths.

  • Farmers market sales and customer service
  • College applications or trade program enrollment
  • Job placement and internship connections
  • Independent living practice
Level 4 / Root

Launch

Transition to independence with a real foundation beneath you.

  • Secure housing with ongoing support
  • Stable employment or enrolled in education
  • Personal savings established
  • Alumni network and continued mentorship
Year-Round Production

Greenhouses mean no off-season

Most farm programs shut down in winter. RootRise doesn't. Our greenhouses produce food 365 days a year—which means year-round programming, year-round revenue, and year-round stability for every young person in the program.

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter

Charlotte, NC / USDA Zone 7b-8a

The foster system gives them a file.
We give them a future.

RootRise is being built in Charlotte, North Carolina. A residential community farm where young people aging out of foster care learn to grow food, build careers, and own their lives.

Get Involved →
Charlotte, North Carolina