A $1 million grant from Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Earth Fund is supporting Gangstas to Growers, an Atlanta-based organisation that uses agriculture to create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for at-risk and formerly incarcerated young people. Awarded in July 2023, the funding is intended to expand regenerative agricultural production across 30 farms on Black-owned land and create 40 new jobs. The initiative also aims to strengthen local food systems and generate economic activity in West Atlanta. By combining practical farming experience with business education and mentorship, the programme seeks to help participants develop marketable skills and explore pathways towards economic independence while supporting Black-owned farms and community-led food production.
How Jeff Bezos’ $1 million grant is supporting Atlanta’s formerly incarcerated youth
Gangstas to Growers, also known as G2G, is an Atlanta-based social enterprise founded by Abiodun Henderson. The organisation uses agriculture as a way to provide employment, entrepreneurship and personal-development opportunities to at-risk and formerly incarcerated young people.The initiative works with Black-owned farms around Atlanta, giving participants opportunities to learn agricultural skills through practical projects. Its approach combines farming with mentorship, business education and personal development, with the broader aim of addressing barriers to employment and reducing recidivism, which refers to returning to criminal behaviour or the criminal justice system after an earlier offence or period of incarceration.The Bezos Earth Fund awarded the $1 million grant in July 2023 to help the organisation expand its agricultural training and infrastructure. According to the fund, G2G plans to expand regenerative agricultural production across 30 farms on Black-owned land and create 40 new jobs for at-risk and formerly incarcerated young people.
How the programme combines farming with employment and training
Participants learn practical agricultural skills, including seeding, growing, harvesting and composting. They receive opportunities to work on projects at Black-owned farms while gaining experience that can help them explore employment and entrepreneurship.The programme extends beyond agricultural instruction. Its curriculum also includes business education, mentorship, yoga, life coaching and arts classes. These activities are designed to help participants develop confidence, leadership abilities and skills that can be applied to different career paths.A December 2024 report by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) documented how participants engage with the programme. It highlighted the experiences of young people who were developing agricultural skills while considering different professional ambitions.Not everyone intends to pursue farming as a full-time career. One participant featured in the report planned to pursue videography while continuing to grow plants at home. Another wanted to develop a business focused on helping people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
Gangstas to Growers participants take part in hands-on farming activities in Atlanta. (Gangstas to Growers / Bezos Earth Fund)
How Gangstas to Growers is helping participants build businesses
Beyond providing agricultural training, G2G aims to help participants develop businesses through worker-owned cooperatives. The model gives graduates opportunities to participate in collective ownership and build enterprises connected to local food production.One example is Sweet Sol, a hot sauce business associated with the organisation’s graduates. Participants grow and harvest ingredients used to make the product, while the cooperative model connects agricultural production with food processing, product development and sales.According to G2G, proceeds support young people, the programme and Black-owned farms around Atlanta. The initiative demonstrates how agricultural training can lead to opportunities beyond farm work, including developing products and participating in small businesses.The organisation also works towards strengthening community ownership of food-related enterprises, allowing participants to explore business opportunities while contributing to the local economy.
Part of a $7.9 million investment in Atlanta’s green spaces
The $1 million grant was part of the Bezos Earth Fund’s announcement of $7.9 million in funding for urban greening projects in Atlanta on July 17, 2023. The funding supported nine projects intended to improve access to green spaces and strengthen environmental conditions in underserved communities.The wider investment included initiatives involving urban farms, community gardens, native plants, wildlife habitats and agricultural workforce development. It formed part of the fund’s $400 million Greening America’s Cities initiative, which aims to improve equitable access to urban green spaces through 2030.Another recipient, On Da Farm, received $1 million to support urban farming, native plant cultivation, wildlife habitats and agricultural workforce development. Its plans included training 40 new farmers and 12 farmer apprentices, alongside producing food for local families through its weekly farmers’ market.Gangstas to Growers’ work fits into this broader strategy by connecting environmental sustainability with employment opportunities, food access and community economic development.
What the organisation has achieved so far
Gangstas to Growers reports that its work has resulted in 5,000 pounds of food being harvested, 25 Black-owned farms being serviced and 20 programme graduates.These figures appear in the organisation’s published impact summary and reflect its reported activities. Its website does not clearly specify the reporting period for each figure.The initiative has also received independent coverage. In December 2024, GPB reported on a graduating cohort, documenting how participants were developing agricultural skills and considering different career paths through the programme.The Bezos Earth Fund’s grant announcement identifies expanding production across 30 Black-owned farms and creating 40 jobs as objectives of the investment. The available reporting does not establish whether these specific targets have been fully achieved.Through agricultural training, paid work and business development, Gangstas to Growers is seeking to create economic opportunities for young people who face barriers to employment while supporting Black-owned farms and strengthening Atlanta’s local food system.