2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit

Tony Hillery founded Harlem Grown in 2011, driven by a commitment to address the health and academic challenges facing public elementary school students in Harlem. While volunteering at a local Harlem elementary school, Tony witnessed firsthand the lack of resources available to students and the limited access many families had to healthy, nutritious food. During this time, he noticed an abandoned lot across the street from the school and envisioned it as an opportunity to create meaningful change within the community.

That vision became the foundation of Harlem Grown’s first growing season. Tony worked alongside 400 students to plant 400 seedlings, introducing youth to hands-on learning through farming, nutrition, and sustainability. As the students nurtured the farm, Tony saw them develop healthier eating habits, confidence, responsibility, and valuable life skills. The first season yielded 38 pounds of produce, planting the seed for what would become a transformative movement in Harlem.

Over the past fifteen years, Harlem Grown has evolved from a single abandoned lot into a leading force for youth development, food justice, and community wellness in Harlem. Today, the organization partners with six local schools and impacts nearly 12,000 youth annually. Harlem Grown has served more than 23,000 community members, taught hundreds of food and farm education classes, diverted thousands of pounds of food waste into nutrient-rich compost, and distributed over 185,000 pounds of fresh food through its farms and programs. Through Tony Hillery’s leadership and vision, Harlem Grown continues to empower youth, strengthen families, and cultivate healthier, more sustainable communities.