Creating community-oriented green spaces to build thriving urban communities and help mitigate climate change.
Our Apiaries
Every green space needs pollinators.
Our mission, in partnership with The Hive Supply Company, is to install as many hives as we can, and to support and rejuvenate collapsing bee populations. Today, we manage over 100 hives in Chicago, providing maintenance, honey, and honey-based products to our communities and to the partners that host our hives.
All profits from the purchase of TRCF honey and honey infusions go toward our grant fund, which develops apiary programs for schools and community gardens.
Our Community
Our newest project is a Community Hive in Muster Point, a thriving gathering point located in East Garfield Park.
Here, we’re centred around a propagation greenhouse that will serve as the headquarters for our Urban Agriculture Plant Start program. In addition to the propagation house, Muster Point will have an outdoor gathering space where small community businesses and non-profit organizations can host events or sell their goods.
EDUCATION
We’re not just cultivating spaces, we’re cultivating minds! In partnership with local community organizations, our Urban Agriculture Plant Start program educates hundreds of students from across the Chicagoland area. We teach them urban farming practices, provide insight into where our food comes from, and share the benefits of sustainable agriculture and seasonality.
Young adults participating in our program help harvest on the rooftop farm, engage in live demonstrations, and participate in cooking and eating the food they harvested at our onsite partner restaurant, Maxwell’s Trading.
DONATE HERE
As a token of our appreciation for your support, TCRF will send you a little something back. Because as the say, it´s nice to give, but even nicer to receive.
View our current Donation Gifts below; your donation receipt will include the tax-deductible value of your contribution.
sponsored hives
Since their donation in 2022, the hives at Kenwood Gardens have produced more than 1,600 pounds of honey! In 2026 TRCF will support a CPS elementary school in establishing its own apiary and provide hands-on education for students about beekeeping and pollinators.
VOLUNTEER WITH TRCF
The Roof Crop Foundation is seeking volunteers to support plant propogation, apiary care, community education events, and fundraising initiatives. Explore our volunteer opportunities and complete the Volunteer Intake Form to get started.
HIVE EXTRACTIONS
Each fall, The Roof Crop Foundation hosts honey extraction events at our partnering gardens and buildings. From removing frames from the hives to spinning them in our hand extractor, participants experience the process firsthand. This event engages the curiosity of our community members and offers a chance to get up close with their neighboring bees.
recent educational partnerships
Erling Wu-Bower of Maxwells Trading works with a cohort of students from the Gary Comer Youth Center.
Community volunteers learn about our favorite pollinators, bees, while assisting in foundation efforts.
The Roof Crop Foundation in the News
Photo Credit: Melody Mercado, Block Club Chicago
The Roof Crop, Maxwells Trading Partner To Teach South Side Youth Interested In Urban Ag Careers
CONSULTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ericka Schnitzer-Reese
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Erling Wu-Bower
APIARY COORDINATOR
AJ Appeldoorn-Orozco
THE ROOF CROP FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James Hughes, President
Tracy Boychuk, Secretary
Cynthia Salvatori, Treasurer
Chris Abraham
Warren Aftahi
Kirk Bacastow
Kerry Fitzpatrick
Nicolette Jurgens-Tamminga
Rich Pryce-Jones
Josh Tilden
THANK YOU FOR THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF OUR GENEROUS DONORS
Jonathan Ford
Chrysti Eigenberg
Lynsey Sorrell
Lauren Wolven
Kirk Bascatow
Sam Irwin
Alex DeSorbo-Quinn
Petros Kaimakis
Nicolette Jurgens-Tamminga
Paula Miller
Chris Craven
Ellen Alderman
Elaena Hoekstra
Cynthia Salvatori
Jennifer Albert
Rick Baylis
Victoria Moore
Joshua Moreno
Caroline Mears
