Impact Stories

Bonton Farms | Dallas

Texas Mutual supports Bonton Farms to strengthen Texas workforce

...

Despite the name, Bonton Farms is more than a farm. Much more. It’s a community-based organization that consists of two fully functioning farms, a farmer’s market, a café and a coffee house. It’s also a force for good, which is something we at Texas Mutual are proud to be a part of.

Through an extensive apprenticeship program, Bonton Farms is helping strengthen our state’s workforce and changing lives for the better.

“Our mission is to transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity,” explains Bonton Farms president Gabrielle “Gabe” Madison.

This means Bonton Farms is not only training community members with the skills they need to do certain jobs, but they’re also giving them the life skills and resources they need to prosper in every aspect of their lives.

From food desert to opportunity

Founded in a “food desert” where 63% of residents lack personal transportation, and the nearest grocery store is a 3-hour round-trip bus ride away, Bonton Farms started out as an urban garden. The initial hope of founder Daron Babcock was to provide fresh food to local residents because he understood that living in a food desert was affecting the health of the community and impacting people’s ability to work and be productive.

“I felt it was unacceptable to have communities in a city like Dallas where people were sick and dying just because they didn’t have access to food,” says Babcock.

Over the past 10 years, Bonton Farms has grown to become both that source of fresh food and a place where people can launch their careers. By working closely with industry partners, Bonton Farms is placing apprentices with larger organizations.

A master gardener trains an apprentice.

Master gardener helping an apprentice at an urban farm

"We want our industry partners to have long-term employees," says Madison, "This then transforms the community from a poverty zone to an opportunity zone."

Barista steaming milk with an espresso machine in a coffee shop.

A barista works in the coffee house.

Investing in the future of Texas' workforce

Since 2016, Texas Mutual has invested over $70 million in organizations like Bonton Farms who are training and supporting tomorrow’s workers.

“We appreciate partners like Texas Mutual,” says Madison, “It has allowed us to double the size of our apprenticeship program.”

As the state’s leading workers’ compensation provider, Texas Mutual is committed to being a stable force for good. Through strategic philanthropy, like our investments in Bonton Farms, we’re helping ensure our state will have a strong, healthy, reliable workforce for generations to come.

Learn more about work in the community.

Ready to get started

See how to start quoting with Texas Mutual

Have more questions?

See the most commonly asked questions.