Eleven Southeast Michigan urban farming groups received $75,000 in funding from the Mahindra Automotive North America Urban Agriculture Grant Program this week. The grants address COVID-19’s impact on locally available food supplies in inner-city areas in Detroit, Flint, and Pontiac, especially for households facing the dual challenge of keeping family members healthy and putting wholesome food on their tables.
“We felt that concentrating our 2020 grant funds on strengthening the urban agriculture community’s ability to grow and distribute food to people in need was one of the ways we could be of the most help during the pandemic,” said Rick Haas, Mahindra Automotive North America’s President, and CEO.
Since the program’s inception in 2015, Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) has donated more than $625,000 in cash 
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and farm equipment to 20 unique community-based organizations in Southeast Michigan. Those grant funds have been used to train and equip thousands of home gardeners who grow food for their families, friends, and neighbors.
“Now more than ever, we need to support Michigan’s urban farmers who are growing healthy food for their communities,” said U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow. “I applaud the commitment of Mahindra Automotive North America and all businesses and organizations who are strengthening urban farms in our state.”
MANA’s grants in previous years also enabled innovative projects, like the development of a cost-saving home irrigation prototype; while others encouraged the preparation of the next generation of urban farmers for future careers and business opportunities. The company’s donations have also included three off-road Mahindra vehicles (including two locally built Mahindra ROXORs) and three Mahindra tractors.
“I am confident,” Haas said, “that this year’s grant recipients will rise to—and meet—this new challenge and help improve the quality of life for hundreds, if not thousands, of people throughout this region. Mahindra Automotive North America is grateful and humbled to be able to support their heroic efforts.”
The eleven (11) groups receiving 2020 Mahindra Urban Agriculture Grants are:
× Asbury Community Development Corporation (Flint) - $10,000
× Burnside Farm (Detroit) - $2,000
× Charles Drew Transition Center Horticultural Program (Detroit) - $10,000
× Detroit Black Community Food Security Network-D-Town Farm (Detroit) - $15,000
× Edible Flint (Flint) - $5,000
× Greening of Detroit (Detroit ) - $5,000
× Keep Growing Detroit (Detroit) - $15,000
× Micah 6 (Pontiac) - $5,000
× Mt. Olivet Neighborhood Watch (Detroit) - $2,000
× Northend Christian CDC (Detroit) - $5,000
× Yorkshire Woods Community Association (Detroit) - $1,000