Started by neighborhood residents on Buffalo's West Side in 1992, the Massachusetts Avenue Project was incorporated in 2000. MAP's Growing Green Program was founded in 2003 to address the growing land vacancy, high youth unemployment, and food security needs of the community.

 

Since that time, Growing Green has created more than 650 jobs for West Side teenagers, and since 2007, has helped 95% of our participants graduate from high school and enroll in college! We have also developed models for sustainable urban food production and youth leadership, increased healthy food access throughout Buffalo, and built partnerships to promote regional food system development. 

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MAP has provided employment and direct training to hundreds of low income youth in Buffalo in the areas of sustainable urban agriculture, social enterprise development, organizing and advocacy, and food systems development.

MAP staff has also provided training in these areas to visiting groups, local colleges and university students, community groups, faith institutions and at national conferences.  Growing Green youth have, in turn, educated thousands of community residents, school children, and policy makers about how localizing our food system will benefit people, the planet and our local economy.