Pros
Uses its well-established name for outreach and donors in the suburbs
Cons
This organization is heavily mismanaged and structurally unadaptable to the challenges it faces. Upper leadership states that employee retention is not a goal, and that exit interviews are no longer conducted because feedback has never been implemented internally. Turnover is extremely high, both because of employee cuts and employee resignations. Very few opportunities for promotion and pay raises. Lack of transparency, lack of growth on the management side. Programs such as the Farm Incubator are being cut due to a large annual operational deficit, reducing the effectiveness of their mission. Many participants leave programs disappointed with their outcomes while feeling that their labor was exploited in the short term. These internal issues have led to a low community trust in programs — some participants leave with financial debt, no employment, or negative feelings about the mission that they were excited to participate in. Windy City Harvest is no longer a ‘leading force’ in the field and its reputation is rapidly declining because they are causing harm to the very populations they claim to uplift. I would strongly recommend looking for more stable organizations if you are starting in the urban agriculture field, or looking to truly grow with an organization.