BEET THE ODDS: The Beets Project Turns Health Challenges into Healthy and Tasty Solutions.

 


BEET THE ODDS: The Beets Project Turns Health Challenges into Healthy and Tasty Solutions. 


In Fort Worth’s 76104 zip code, life expectancy is the lowest in Texas—just 67 years. For Black men, it drops to 64. High blood pressure, heart disease, premature death, infant mortality, and chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes among women are driving this public health crisis.



Thanks to a generous donation from Midwest Food Bank, Skills City, USA—in collaboration with New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County—has launched The Beets Project, a social entrepreneurship initiative designed to “beet the odds.”



Skills City, USA is a workforce innovation hub rooted in Fort Worth’s 76104 community. It equips residents with practical training in fields like specialty coffee entrepreneurship, film production, and community-based business development, all while addressing the social and economic barriers that contribute to poor health outcomes. By linking education, faith, and workforce solutions, Skills City provides a model for how communities can create pathways to both economic mobility and better health.


Students and staff are transforming a full pallet of canned beets into flavorful pickled beets to share with their neighbors. This project is more than an experiment in food preservation; it’s a hands-on approach to raising awareness about nutrition and creating healthy, sustainable solutions for the community.




Beets themselves are part of the solution. Rich in nutrients that support heart health, improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and deliver essential vitamins and minerals, they represent the type of food that can help combat the very conditions shortening lives in 76104.



Beyond nutrition, The Beets Project fuels curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Participants are researching the science of food, learning entrepreneurial skills, and discovering how business can be a force for good. What began as a simple donation has become a movement of research, discovery, and hope—proof that with the right partnerships and a shared vision, this neighborhood can truly beet the odds.



About Pastor Kyev Tatum

Pastor Kyev Tatum is the leader of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and a longtime advocate for faith-driven community transformation. A graduate of the University of North Texas School of Community Service, Pastor Tatum has dedicated his ministry to addressing systemic inequities through education, workforce development, and public health initiatives. As the founder of Skills City, USA, he blends ministry and innovation to create opportunities for residents of the 76104 zip code to learn, lead, and lift their communities toward lasting change. 


Contact Pastor Tatum at 817-966-7625, kptatum1@gmail.com


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