“Food is something that bonds all of us, and the lack of food that happens in this part of the world is pretty concerning.”
Hilltop Urban Farm strives to turn what was once deemed a “food desert” into a community resource.
Located in Pittsburgh’s Hilltop community, the nonprofit farm has 107 acres of land, 23 of which are dedicated to farming. UPMC proudly supports the farm’s mission to provide healthy food options for residents.
“Food is something that bonds all of us,” says Liz Metzler, Hilltop Urban Farm's director of farm operations and land management. “The lack of food in this part of the world is pretty concerning, specifically on the Hilltop.”
A 2013 Just Harvest study identified the Hilltop’s St. Clair neighborhood as one of the top five locations in Allegheny County with low food access. “Food deserts” are communities that face a lack of grocery stores and healthy food providers.
“Whenever we get to expose the hard truths that happen here and the work that we're trying to do to combat that, it gives us the fuel we need to get back in the field and keep going,” Liz says.
Hattie Lehman, Hilltop's director of farm programs, says 1 in 5 Americans suffer from food insecurity. In Pittsburgh, that number is 1 in 4.
“Pennsylvania has seen the highest increase across the nation in the past 12 months,” Hattie says. “Pennsylvania is paying 20% more for its groceries. That's really going to hit a lot of people, even those that maybe were balancing that line between having food and not having (food).”
Liz believes the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the fragility of the food system. It also showed how crucial local food resources are to the community.
“What we do here to combat what's going on in the neighborhood is we grow as much produce as we possibly can on a half-acre, and we deliver it to three different food pantries in the neighborhood,” Liz says.
The Hilltop neighborhood particularly lacks options for fresh produce, making it difficult for residents to obtain healthy food.
“In the Hilltop, there are two grocery stores," Hattie says. "There's one in Carrick, and then there's one on the South Side. But there are still eight unique neighborhoods in between those."
A lack of reliable transportation for many residents also poses a challenge. To help alleviate the burden, the farm works with local food pantries to find ways to get more funding to assist food-insecure people.
Liz says participating in food deliveries has been a powerful experience. It allows those at the farm to witness firsthand the impact of their labor.
“Everyone is so grateful,” Liz says. “I think between the volunteers and who we're serving, those are the people who feel our work."
At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means supporting community partners like Hilltop Urban Farm to help address food insecurity.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Hilltop Urban Farm.
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