For the past ten years, Michael Hurwitz has served as the Director of Greenmarket, a program of GrowNYC that operates 51 producer-only farmers markets throughout New York City. Founded by two visionaries and 12 farmers in 1976, Greenmarket now works with over 250 regional food producers to preserve 38,000 acres of regional farmland. Under Michael’s leadership, Greenmarket operates the nation’s largest farmers market-based food access initiatives under its Healthy Exchange Program. In 2011, he created the FARMRoots Technical Assistance Program, providing marketing, business, and succession planning assistance to Greenmarket growers.
Michael Hurwitz was also integral in forming Greenmarket Co, New York City’s only food hub. Greenmarket Co. was founded upon a two-part mission to keep farms in production and to ensure that every community in New York City has access to the highest-quality food and fully participates in their food system. Additionally, with Teachers College at Columbia University, Michael co-developed Seed to Plate, a standards-based food curriculum for 5th and 6th graders.
Prior to joining GrowNYC, Michael co-founded Added Value & Herban Solutions, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Red Hook, Brooklyn that trains young adults to be the leaders of change in their communities by operating a socially responsible market-farming micro enterprise. He graduated as a Public Service Scholar from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law and received his Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Children and Families and Macro Social Work Practice. Michael is active within the sustainable agriculture and youth development arenas; he received a Union Square Award in 2006, as well as a Petra Fellowship in 2004. In his free time, Michael loves gardening, cooking (for hours), competing in triathlons while imaging all the ribs he’ll eat upon crossing the finish line, and spending time with his wife and two sons.