No More Empty Pots to Occupy Highlander Accelerator’s Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a focal point of the Highlander Accelerator located at 2112 North 30th Street in North Omaha. No More Empty Pots will activate the facility starting in the fall of 2023. Photo credit: 75 North
press release
Check back Tues. May 2 for a NOISE profile of Nancy Williams and Cydney Franklin
Seventy Five North Revitalization Corp. (“75 North”) developed the Highlander Accelerator in 2018 to be the neighborhood’s anchor for well-being resources, enrichment programming and community convening. The building houses the offices of 75 North, a digital library, a coffee shop and food hall, satellite campuses for Creighton University and Metropolitan Community College, an events space, a Charles Drew Health Center family resource center, and a greenhouse facility.
Since the facility’s opening, 75 North found little success in securing a partner and a tenant for the greenhouse that could convey two essential desired outcomes: a sustainable business model and an organizational mission that aligned with 75 North’s long standing goals to strengthen Highlander. In 2021, the search came to an end when No More Empty Pots, a fellow North-Omaha based nonprofit, agreed to join 75 North and the Highlander community to activate the greenhouse through a program scope focused on healthy food access, food waste reduction, workforce readiness and job training, and business development.
The 17,500 square foot greenhouse will accommodate the year-round, vertical farming of fresh produce like leafy greens, botanicals, and other value-added products. The facility will additionally house a rentable commercial kitchen, a research lab for product development, classroom space for education programs and on-the-job training, and storage for food distribution services.
“It's difficult to contain the excitement that we feel about the long overdue activation of the Highlander Accelerator's greenhouse. It doesn't feel bold to say that this partnership with Nancy Williams and the No More Empty Pots team is a dream come true,” said Cydney Franklin, President & CEO of 75 North. “The organization’s dedication to advancing healthy food access in North Omaha, while strengthening food-related entrepreneurship and education programming, falls directly in-line with our goals to increase health outcomes in Highlander. It’s incredible to know that the greenhouse will soon become a North Omaha destination for innovative urban farming, learning, creativity and so much more. We’re beyond grateful to the numerous stakeholders that make a project like this one possible.”
The No More Empty Pots’ leadership team visits the Highlander Accelerator’s greenhouse to tour the facility and celebrate the recent announcement. Left to Right: Nancy Williams, Kate Swinarski, Talia McGill, Eric Purcell, Amy Zeller, Leslie Schmeling, Kathy Uhlenbrock, and Nick Holden. Not pictured are Susan Whitfield and Maria Valentin.
The Highlander Accelerator’s greenhouse programs will build upon the current work executed by No More Empty Pots to address the longstanding need for increased cold and dry storage, packaging and fulfillment for distribution needs, specialized processing, and closed-loop recycling.
“We are excited to partner with Cydney and her team at 75 North on this transformational project,” said Nancy Williams, President and CEO of No More Empty Pots. “So many partners and stakeholders are coming together to ensure that each person connected to this initiative will have the opportunity to explore, discover and learn while building trusting relationships that lead to lasting change.”
Greenhouse renovations are scheduled to begin in late 2022 and complete by fall 2023. The greenhouse is located in the Highlander Accelerator at 2112 N. 30th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68111.
About No More Empty Pots
No More Empty Pots (NMEP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect individuals and groups to improve self-sufficiency, regional food security and economic resilience of urban and rural communities through advocacy and action. NMEP’s vision is to support communities in becoming self-sufficient, and food secure through collaboration and adherence to our core values of education, stewardship, and sustainability. NMEP serves youth to seniors providing educational, hands-on and experiential learning. Learn more at www.nmepomaha.org or email info@nmepomaha.org.
About Seventy Five North
Organized in 2011, Seventy Five North Revitalization Corp. is a nonprofit organization designed to drive the redevelopment of the Highlander neighborhood on the northside of Omaha, Nebraska. It is our mission to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and community deterioration by facilitating the creation of a healthy, sustainable, mixed-income community complete with healthy homes, thriving schools, recreational facilities and technology access. Learn more at www.seventyfivenorth.org or email info@seventyfivenorth.org.