Indy urban farm nonprofit launches free compost program

Local non-profit Soul Food Project recently launched a community composting effort, thought to be the first free program of its kind in the city.

Founded in 2017, Soul Food Project is based out of an urban farm on Indianapolis’s near northeast side, The project is focused on increasing food access in the surrounding neighborhood.

Executive director and founder Danielle Guerin said that composting supports a more sustainable food system, helping to reduce waste while improving the health of the soil.

Before launching the program, Guerin was regularly purchasing compost for the farm to help with planting and crop yields.

“I was thinking, how can we help our neighbors, teach them about food waste, and how they can turn their food into soil for themselves, and also help us reduce costs in a way,” Guerin said.

As a part of the program, neighbors within a five-mile radius of the farm were able to register online and receive a five-gallon bucket to collect their own compost.

Compost bins are dropped off on location at the farm or picked up free of cost biweekly alongside other trash.

“We are reducing that barrier in that way by saying, ‘Hey, there’s no cost, you just have to put it out on the porch or bring it to the farm,’ said Guerin.

While compost pickup has paused for the year due to weather, participating neighbors can still drop compost off at the farm.

Anyone interested in the program can visit the website for more information or to view the pickup route. Registration is required to participate.