In Bonton, Texas, an inner-city neighborhood south of the Dallas metropolitan area, residents have little access to healthy food options. A visit to a grocery store would take three hours of travel time on public transportation, relied on by more than half of residents. The options available are limited to small beer and wine stores with packaged and outdated foods. The effects of this on resident’s health are staggering. Bonton experiences higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer than the rest of the city of Dallas.
Bonton Farms aims to change this. From humble beginnings in a small, vacant lot, the space has expanded to 40 acres and is now one of the largest urban farms in the United States. In addition to cultivating fresh, healthy produce, Bonton Farms also brings jobs to the community and most importantly, hope.
“This is a beautiful project that was brought to our attention by Victor as he had worked at the farm previously,” said Joni Doolin, chief executive officer at Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K). “This is a textbook case of a conscious organization that is creating jobs, and filling physical, mental and social needs in the community.”
The team at Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K) was excited to be a part of their mission. On a chilly fall morning, Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K) staff caravanned out to this South Dallas neighborhood to volunteer on the farm. The day was spent pitching in on daily chores, such as including moving and laying mulch or cleaning out coops and pens. A highlight was spending time with the farm’s goats, when everyone delightedly took turns to feed them.
“We are grateful to our leadership for creating this culture in which getting together as a team and working hard for the benefit of others is valued and important,” said Victor Fernandez, vice president of insights and knowledge for Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K). “It means a lot to us as a team to continue to serve our greater community.”
Bonton farms brings restoration to a community with hard work, fresh food and purpose. Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K) was grateful for the opportunity to contribute and strives to participate in at least one service project per quarter. Company service projects are not only great for building teamwork, but they create opportunities to grow and expand skill sets beyond what is expected day-to-day. Most notably, the most engaged employees are those provided opportunities outside of their normal scope to make a social impact.
To learn more about Bonton Farms and their story, visit their website at www.bontonfarms.org
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