Food Access and Sustainable Agriculture

OFS works to address the root causes of hunger, and one strategy is to increase access to fresh foods to support good health. The produce grown by these farms will go directly to families enrolled in our Fresh Rx program, which approaches food as medicine that has a very real impact on health outcomes. By providing food and nutrition, Fresh Rx is preventing many of the health effects and high costs caused by food insecurity.
Our two farms were donated by UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Fork Farms, an agriculture technology social enterprise based in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  OFS is the first Missouri organization to receive Flex Farms, which are currently located in 26 states.
Follow the progress of our crops on Instagram and Facebook.
@opfoodsearch
OFS employee in hydroponics garden
Volunteer picking fresh produce
Hydroponic farm with lettuce growing

What Are Flex Farms?

Flex Farms are fully self-contained hydroponic growing systems that will enable OFS to grow fresh, affordable produce. They are vertical, indoor farms that create 25 pounds of produce per month, ranging from leafy vegetables to herbs.
The energy-efficient Flex Farms operate with a standard electrical outlet, occupy less than 10 square feet of space, and utilize zero pesticides and herbicides. Each farm can serve up to 1,900 families per year with a harvest of nearly 3,400 plants.

Learn more about Flex Farms by visiting forkfarms.com