ABC/25 Foundation

The ABC25 Foundation is excited to launch their first district wide fundraising effort: “Growing Together: A ForkFarm Initiative”!

Through June 1st, we are striving to raise sufficient funds for one (or more!) additional Fork Farm Flex Farm Hydroponic units for School District 25. The ABC/25 Foundation has pledged to match every donation made towards the Fork Farm Initiative (up to $5,000) effectively doubling the impact!

Thanks to all of our generous donors, as of March 31st, we have received enough funds for one additional Fork Farm Flex Farm Hydroponic and our half way to the second!

Want your own Hydroponic Farm?

What is the Fork Farm Flex Farm?

The Fork Farm Flex Farms are mobile indoor vertical hydroponic systems that use 98% less water and land than traditional agriculture and advertise to be 40% more energy efficient than hydroponic competitors. As you may know, hydroponics is an approach to the cultivation of plants without using soil. The Fork Farm units use a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil and can grow around 25 lbs of produce every 28-day cycle. 

Why Fork Farm?

Fork Farms is a mission-first agriculture technology company based out of Green Bay, WI. Their mission is to unleash the power of fresh food production for happier, healthier people. Fork Farms is working to empower schools and nonprofits to provide a nurturing, consistent, and validating experience for everyone who interacts with the Flex Farm and, through specialized curriculum, aim to increase student interactions with and consumption of healthy foods. 

One of the biggest benefits of choosing Fork Farm products is their online hub called Farmative. This hub not only has a shop for what is needed to grow, like seed bundles, but also has self-paced lessons on how to assemble, plant, transplant, and harvest the hydroponic farms. Farmative also includes an education hub that engages audiences in hydroponics-based education centered around the Next Generation Science Standards curriculum with access to a K-12 curriculum with 30-day instruction plans, activity guides for more bite-sized lessons, and a badge program catered to grades 3-5 and 6-8. 

How Can I Help?

The AHSD25 currently has one Fork Farm Flex Farm unit and is looking to add at least one more to their collection to benefit more of our district schools.

We’re inviting parents, community members, and businesses to join us in making this happen. Whether your support is big or small, it’ll make a huge difference in reaching our goal and bringing the Fork Farm Flex Farm to our schools.

Join us in cultivating a sustainable future for education by making a donation today!

Patton Pilot Program

In the spring of 2023, the Food & Nutrition Department partnered with Patton Elementary to pilot a program using a Fork Farm Flex Farm unit at the 3rd grade level utilizing the Patton Garden Club. The students had the opportunity to participate in the entire process of growing plants, from planting seeds to harvesting the greens, in just four weeks. This hands-on experience not only deepened their understanding of plant growth, nutrition, and sustainability but also instilled a sense of pride and accomplishment among the students. The harvest from the pilot program was even used for a salad party during the lunch hours at Patton, allowing the Garden Club to share their harvest and excitement with their peers. 

See the Farm in Action 

Stop by Ivy Hill on February 19th, 2024, for our STEM event to see the district’s existing Fork Farm unit in full bloom! 

A Mindful Kitchen Partnership 

The ABC/25 Foundation will be partnering with local Arlington Heights business “A Mindful Kitchen” from Monday, February 19, 2024, through Sunday, February 25, 2024. They will be donating 20% of sales to the Fork Farm Initiative when mentioning the ABC/25 Foundation, either verbally if buying in-store or by writing ABC/25 in the order notes section if ordering online.