Rooted in Holmes: A Food Security Initiative
Growing food, skills, and stability in Holmes County
About the Program
Rooted in Holmes is a community farm and food security initiative led by United Way of Northwest Florida in partnership with DaySpring Outreach Ministries and funded by a multi-year grant from Florida Blue Foundation. Together with local farms, community leaders, schools, and food partners, we are building a program where the same land that feeds families also builds futures.
Participants learn hands-on agricultural skills, fresh produce goes directly to households that need it, and monthly workshops help families stretch every dollar and every harvest. Our goal is simple: more Holmes County families with full tables, steady paychecks, and a future they can count on.
How It Works
Grow. Community members including at-risk adults and youth, work the farm alongside experienced growers. They gain real skills in planting, harvesting, and farm operations that translate to jobs and a fresh start.
Feed. Produce from the farm is distributed on-site and, where possible, delivered directly to homes across Holmes County, reaching seniors, working families, and anyone who cannot easily get to a distribution site.
Learn. Each month we offer free workshops on gardening, food preservation, meal planning, nutrition, and financial literacy so families can keep the benefits going long after the growing season ends.
Rooted in Holmes with DaySpring Outreach Ministries
Long before Rooted in Holmes had a name, DaySpring Outreach Ministries, the outreach arm of Crosspoint Church, was already feeding Holmes County. The ministry is led by Michael and Amy Tadlock, who bring three decades of experience in youth programs, outreach, and education. When they founded Crosspoint in Ponce de Leon in 2019, it didn't take long to see that many of their neighbors were struggling to keep food on the table. There was no program, no funding, and no plan on paper. So they started one anyway, gathering donated food and handing it out to whoever needed it. Month after month, their volunteers have loaded boxes, greeted neighbors by name, and made sure families didn't go home empty-handed. They didn't wait for a grant to start. They just saw the need and showed up.
Rooted in Holmes builds on that foundation. United Way of Northwest Florida is partnering with DaySpring to make sure the work they started can keep going and reach further: more produce grown on-site, more households served through home delivery, and a new layer of education that helps families turn a box of food into lasting stability. DaySpring provides the land, the daily farm and distribution operations, and the heart of the program. We're here to help it grow.
Get Involved
Volunteer. Help plant, harvest, pack boxes, or deliver produce to neighbors. No farm experience needed.
Give. Every gift helps put fresh food on more tables and more people on the path to steady work.
Partner. Farms, businesses, churches, and agencies interested in joining the effort can reach us anytime.
To get involved email us at RootedinHolmes@unitedwaynwfl.org
Need Food or Want to Participate?
If you live in Holmes County and need help putting food on the table, we're here. To sign up for food distribution, join the farm training program, or attend a workshop, contact Tara Jackson at tjackson.crosspointpdl@gmail.com.
Made Possible by Florida Blue Foundation
Rooted in Holmes is funded through Florida Blue Foundation's Food Security Grant program. Their multi-year investment allows us to do more than hand out food. It gives us the time and resources to grow a lasting solution: a working farm, a trained workforce, and families equipped with the skills to stay food secure for years to come.
We are grateful to Florida Blue Foundation for believing that a healthier, more stable Holmes County starts with the ground beneath our feet.
