Our Mission
Floating Tree is a nonprofit organization that specializes in food security, education, and outreach. Our mission is to empower people facing food insecurity to grow, harvest, and prepare their own food, and to educate the community on ways to reduce food insecurity and live more sustainable, nourishing lives.
Meet the Team
Welcome! We are glad you're here. Meet our team and learn about their passions in the field.
Co- Founder
Bridget Walsh
Bridget has a decade of experience working on humanitarian projects both locally and internationally. While earning her bachelor's degree in biochemistry, she was a Humanitarian Engineering Scholar at The Ohio State University. She worked with a non-profit organization in Panajachel, Guatemala to improve water sanitation and waste management. She has also volunteered with Tennessee local business, HATponics, to work on food security systems in Los Limones, Dominican Republic. Her involvement in humanitarian projects sparked her passion for serving others.
Bridget went on to earn her Master of Public Health in Global Epidemiology from Emory University and was certified in Healthcare in Humanitarian Emergencies. Addressing food insecurity is a passion for Bridget due to its effect on all aspects of an individual's health and its preventability in many areas of the world (particularly right here in the United States).
Bridget has co-founded Floating Tree with the goal of improving community accessibility to gardening by reducing financial, geographic, and educational barriers to improve food security, mental health, and overall wellbeing.
Co- Founder
Spencer Barker
Spencer has a bachelor's degree in Food, Agriculture, and Biological Engineering from The Ohio State University. As a member of OSU's Humanitarian Engineering Scholar's program, he was introduced to the 'The Good Food Revolution' by Will Allen. This kickstarted his lifelong endeavor to be involved with humanitarian projects specifically involving community and urban gardening.
After graduating, he worked for a local Tennessee business- HATponics - a commercial Hydroponic and Aquaponic farm. During his tenure as their Director of Constuction Operations, Spencer managed countless projects in thirty states and two countries.
Spencer spent 2022 travelling throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, volunteering with locals and learning many different agricultural and culinary practices. Spencer returned from his travels and became a certified Master Gardener through the University of Tennessee Extension.
He went on to co-found Floating Tree where he believes his effort, resources, and knowledge can be best spent to improve free community access to gardening.
Our Goals
A sustainable, wholistic approach
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To provide educational resources to school aged children to improve population level understanding and interest in household food growth and security.
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Check out our work with the Avondale Center and how this project is in line with our goals!
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To empower households facing food insecurity to cultivate nutritious, fulfilling lives with access to back yard and container gardens and incorporate their harvest into routine cooking.
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Check out our work with the Living Bridge Center, Dalton Housing Authority, and La Paz, and see how these projects empower households in the Chattanooga and Dalton areas.
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To work with, serve, and provide growth opportunities to marginalized communities with the dignity and respect of which all people deserve.