At Polar King, we’re proud to partner with organizations that make a difference in their communities. One such partnership is with Urban Tilth, a Bay Area nonprofit dedicated to transforming North Richmond, California, a community long considered a “food desert,” into a place of nourishment, sustainability, and opportunity.
Meeting a Growing Need for Fresh Food
Urban Tilth grows, distributes, and teaches residents to cultivate fresh, organic produce. Their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program delivers weekly veggie boxes to more than 600 families, using a sliding-scale model to ensure affordability for all.
However, as demand surged, especially during the pandemic, Urban Tilth faced a major challenge: keeping up with cold storage needs. Fresh produce harvested over several days required reliable refrigeration to maintain quality before delivery. That’s when Urban Tilth turned to Polar King.
Dependable Walk-In Units for a Critical Mission
In 2018, Urban Tilth added a Polar King outdoor walk-in refrigerator and freezer unit to expand their storage capacity. The unit’s one-piece fiberglass construction, energy efficiency, and weatherproof design made it the perfect fit for their outdoor farm environment.
As community demand continued to grow, a second Polar King unit was installed in 2024, increasing capacity by 50%. According to Urban Tilth’s construction project manager, “Having a second walk-in unit has increased our capacity by 50%. They’ve allowed us to serve more people by providing storage for produce from our farm and partner farms.”
Service that Goes Beyond Delivery
From start to finish, Polar King’s team worked closely with Urban Tilth to ensure success, from assisting with permit applications to providing installation support and even sending production photos. That level of care and communication is part of why nonprofits, schools, and community organizations across the country trust Polar King for their refrigeration needs.
Supporting Healthier Communities, One Unit at a Time
Urban Tilth’s programs go far beyond food, they help close the gap in health disparities and food access in underserved areas. By providing dependable cold storage, Polar King helps ensure that nonprofits like Urban Tilth can focus on what matters most: feeding families and strengthening communities.
At Polar King, we’re honored to play a small part in big missions. Whether you’re feeding families, supporting healthcare programs, or managing community food initiatives, we’re here to help with custom-built, outdoor-ready refrigeration and freezer units that make a lasting impact.
