Mission
Since 2013, Bare Hands Bear Fruit Inc. has aided villages in Central and South America through horticultural and educational projects. After seeing the villages transform into healthier, more economically sound communities; our team reflected on the impact it made to the people, to us, and to our volunteers. That’s when it hit us. Why not take our projects home?
Goals
While we remain active in the Americas, we felt the need to support the eradication of urban food deserts in our own backyard. In Spring of 2019, Bare Hands will create and design sustainable, edible landscapes throughout Atlanta’s neighborhoods. We see the opportunity to improve the people of Atlanta’s health and begin a food enlightenment.
How it works.
01.
–landscape
Connect with the community to explore garden possibilities.
02.
–gather funds
Raise awareness for volunteers and sponsors.
03.
–plantscape
Create garden design with volunteers and sponsors available.
04.
–plant seeds
Assemble the team to get out there and plant!
Check out our project portfolio.
Plants make people happy.
- Bare hands
History
We began in 2013, planting fruit and pine trees for the people of Chijtinimit, a small village in the mountains of Guatemala. During this time, we saw the need for people to take control of their health and food sovereignty. Since then BHBF, condensed to Bare Hands, has planted thousands of fruit trees for communities not only in Guatemala, but in Panama, Brazil, and our newest expansion into Atlanta, Georgia to focus on edible neighborhoods throughout the city.
Overall, our mission is to create nutritious plant landscapes that are sustainable and accessible to communities and smallholder farmers. Essentially, we want kids to be able to pick their food from trees as they walk home from school.
Meet our team
TANNER H. BAILEY
CEO & LEAD HORTICULTURALIST
As the founder of Bare Hands, Tanner’s vision to improve the livelihoods of people through plants has taken our projects from seed to sprout.
His knowledge in designing protocols for vegetative propagation, organic systems, and pest/disease management has lended us the capacity to create without boundaries.
His projects encompass sustainable and organic systems; edible neighborhoods, and the 2019 plan to house educational hubs with nutritious plants through greenhouse networks in Guatemala.
For five years, he has a combined history in greenhouse management as director of production for Bonnie Plants headquarters and at his private farm in Alabama.
ASHLEY M. WARREN
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
With a history in international business and traveling a better part of the world – Ashley brings forth global perspectives to Bare Hands business development.
She has worked for World Coffee Research France, Buckhead Beans Atlanta, and her uncle’s organic farm in Costa Rica. Her project directives are centered around natural designs, cultural abundance, and eco-effectiveness.
In essence, Ashley helps catalyze projects that ensure our capital flow takes practical business and design paths.
McKENZY B. WILLIAMS
COMMUNITY & PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
McKenzy is focused on empowering communities and directs Bare Hands with our volunteer and donor relationships.
She has over ten years of experience working for firms such as United Way as a development officer and currently is the director of Children Services for Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation. She also volunteers with community development projects in the U.S. and Guatemala.
Her giving spirit and heart for humanity reminds our team why and what we are here to do.
FRANK H. BAILEY III
CFO & DOMESTIC PROGRAMS DIRECTOR
Frank has been with Bare Hands from its genesis. He has taken our projects to Guatemala, Panama, Brazil, and is developing our new domestic branch in Atlanta.
Frank is in commercial real estate and uses his landscape insight to lead our inner-city programs.
He is entrepreneurial minded and understands the importance of community alignment to achieve success. His ability to identify impactful opportunities makes him a key member of our team.
WILLIAM G. HEMBREE
RESEARCH & SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR
William is our plant breeding and taxonomy aficionado. His focus is in plant functional ecology. He has an extensive background in genetics, crop improvement, organic systems, rare plant ecology, and experimental design.. the list goes on.
From Tresco Abbey to RGB Edinburgh, William has worked in the world’s most regal gardens and is bringing his state-of-the-art practices to Bare Hands.
ALEX N. HUDSON
NURSERY PRODUCTION ADVISOR
With a decade of extensive growing and management experience in the horticulture industry, Alex has practically worked in every aspect of the plant business
His diverse skillset provides a holistic approach with large scale production insight for our projects. Alex has managed production and propagation in specialty ornamental crops for Monrovia and currently manages production and propagation in medicinal cannabis for Trulieve.
Essentially, Alex is the plant propagation guru, and we are happy that he is a part our scientific team.
GEORGE A. GRANT
RESEARCH & SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR
George’s love for research, variety trials, and greenhouse production has led him to our team.
With a passion for creating sustainable production systems, he focuses on controlled environment horticulture for tissue culture and rooted cutting production, economic modeling and optimization of young plant quality.
His specialization aids Bare Hands in applied greenhouse technologies and implementation at the grower level.
Ready to help?
Volunteer
As a nonprofit, we depend on the generosity of individual donors to help fund our projects and initiatives. Your contribution enables us to provide agricultural and social programs for individuals, families and communities. Partner with us to make a difference!
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