About Us

Who We Are

Spaces of Opportunity is a collaboration of Desert Botanical Garden, TigerMountain Foundation, Unlimited Potential, Orchard Community Learning Center and Roosevelt Elementary School District to provide sustainable, fresh produce and farming opportunities to south Phoenix. Started in 2015, the organizations began to transform a 19-acre area of land into a community gathering place ripe for opportunity.

Our Mission

Spaces of Opportunity’s mission is to enable all south Phoenix families to have affordable access to healthy food, active living and healthy roots in their cultures. Spaces is engineering a comprehensive, neighborhood-level food system where gardeners, farmers and farm workers are celebrated as artisans. Spaces is transforming a food desert to a food oasis through the coordination of a 10-acre incubator farm, family gardens and an on-site farmers market.

Farmers at Spaces of Opportunity

Our Staff

Ryan Thayer

RYAN THAYER

Executive Director

Meet Ryan Thayer, hailing from the Bay Area, where he and his family have called home for six generations. For more than 10 years, he has worked supporting equitable food systems. He received a bachelors degree in urban studies and affairs from San Francisco State University and a masters in urban affairs from the University of San Francisco. 

 

Our Partners

We are grateful for the support and leadership of our partners in this effort.

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Spaces of Opportunity would like to express gratitude to the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation for their incredible partnership and generosity in supporting our mission. Their continued support has allowed for us to build capacity to become a nonprofit organization. Thank you for believing in us and investing in our cause.

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TMF
OCLC
Roosevelt
Unlimited Potential
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SPACES OF OPPORTUNITY IS SUPPORTED BY:
ArtPlace America, Cigna, HBI USA, Newman’s Own Foundation, National Endowment of the Arts: Our Town, Starbucks, USDA Local Food Promotion Program, Vitalyst Health Foundation.

Join Our Community

You’re invited to help keep this community of sustainability growing. Whether you want to volunteer your time, donate or just want to come out and support the market, everyone is welcome to join in and see the opportunities being cultivated in south Phoenix.

SPACES OF OPPORTUNITY is an initiative of Desert Botanical Garden. Any donations made to SPACES must be made through Desert Botanical Garden. You will now be taken to their website to complete this transaction. Thank you!
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