Press Release: FOUNTAIN HEIGHTS FARMS COOPERATIVE (FHFC) TO BUILD NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET & COMMUNITY KITCHEN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOUNTAIN HEIGHTS FARMS COOPERATIVE (FHFC) TO BUILD NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET & COMMUNITY KITCHEN
An official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
Birmingham, AL - (Tuesday, July 1, 2025) - Fountain Heights Farms Cooperative (FHFC) will break ground on its newest initiative, Heart of the Farm – Market and Community Kitchen. This event will mark the launch of the permanent space dedicated to food access, education, and entrepreneurship in the historic Fountain Heights neighborhood. The project is made possible through a generous investment from the City of Birmingham.
“This groundbreaking means so much to us,” said Dominique Villanueva, co-founder of Fountain Heights Farms Cooperative. “Not only does it represent increased access to fresh, healthy foods for our neighbors, but for a neighborhood that hasn’t seen a grocery store or market in nearly 70 years, the structure itself is a visible symbol of progress in Fountain Heights.”
The groundbreaking ceremony will be hosted on Wednesday, July 9, at 1201 16th St N, Birmingham, the future home of the neighborhood market and community kitchen. Attendees will get a first look at the vision for the space, which will serve over 3,000 residents in Fountain Heights. Designed as a hub for food entrepreneurship, Heart of the Farm will provide local farmers and food producers with space to store, prepare, and sell their goods. The project also includes a sustainable farming expansion, providing access to clean water across 10 farm lots to support long-term food production in the community.
The goal of FHFC’s Heart of the Farm is to create a permanent, community-driven space that improves local food access, fosters economic opportunity, and supports sustainable agriculture in the Fountain Heights neighborhood.
“The Heart of the Farm Market and Community Kitchen is a meaningful and strategic investment in the vibrancy of the historic Fountain Heights neighborhood,” said Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop, the City of Birmingham’s Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer. “Access to fresh, healthy food remains out of reach for far too many people in our city. Creating a permanent space centered on food justice and fostering economic opportunity will be a game-changer, not just for food access, but for nourishing a connected and thriving community. By thoughtfully investing in projects like the Heart of the Farm, we’re building a more sustainable and resilient future for Birmingham.”
Guest speakers during the groundbreaking ceremony include: ● Dominique Villanueva - Co-Founder, Fountain Heights Farms ● Chris Gooden - Co-Founder, Fountain Heights Farms ● Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop - Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer, Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability, City of Birmingham ● Darlene Battle - President, Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association ● Cicely Garrett - Co-Executive Director, National Black Food and Justice Alliance ● Robert Emerick - Director, Business Growth, REV Birmingham
Press Attendance & Interview Opportunities
Media outlets are invited to attend and cover this event. Please email Jasmine Phillips at jasmine@phillipsmediaagency.com or (662) 417-3859 to confirm attendance. Dominique Villanueva, Co-Founder of the Heights Foundation Farm, will be available for interviews before the groundbreaking and at the event.