Food Roots’ mission is to cultivate a healthy food system in Tillamook County. We believe that local food production and self-reliance are key to creating that healthy food system. The food system is really a food chain, made up of all the parts of food production - from the field to your fork. Our food system is made up of farms, fisheries, processors, distributors, markets, stores, the resulting waste stream from production, and the eaters (that’s us). We are all connected to the food system, many of us in a number of ways.

Food Roots programs support local food production and access through community and school gardens, educational activities and outreach programs, and by supporting community and economic development. We support individuals, families, schools, small food and farm businesses and communities.

School and Community Gardens - Food Roots has provided support and resources for 12 community and school gardens throughout Tillamook County. Today our gardens efforts include Tillamook Junior High Hoop House Garden and Orchard, Sacred Heart Food Bank Garden, garden support for community/school gardens throughout Tillamook County; seed sharing for Grow a Row for the Hungry; and the Fruit Tree Share Project.

Education and Outreach - Our youth Education Programs include Root Troop Garden Club for 4th-8th graders, support for the Green Thumb Garden Club at the TOPS High School, Tillamook Junior High Garden Club, a Summer Root Troop Program, as well as providing garden curriculum, seeds and soil resources for educators.

Community Development - Food Roots takes an active part in local food advocacy and promotes community collaborations. Food Roots makes connections between neighbors, gardeners, farmers, producers, food businesses, consumers, schools, churches, hunger relief, community organizations, and government. In 2008 Food Roots took the lead in implementing and convening Tillamook County’s Community Food Assessment (CFA), which helped identify changes people want to see in the food system.