Date post: | 07-Apr-2018 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | neroulidi854 |
View: | 219 times |
Download: | 0 times |
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 1/8
HCF GranT reporTCommunityGardenFunding2007-2010
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 2/8
TheHealthCareFoundationofGreaterKansas
City(HCF)committedapproximately$1milliontosupportninecommunitygardenprojectsfrom2007to2010.1Theseprogramsprovidedgardenplots,freshvegetables,andnutritiontrainingtoapproximately2,244people(1,887childrenand357adults)inHCF’ssixcountyservicearea.2
Thegranteestargetedparticipantsandneighborhoodswithlimitedaccesstofresh,highqualityfoodsandgrocerystoresinordertoaddressobesityandhealthylifestylesintheseunderservedareas.Mostprojects
includedtrainingoncookingfreshvegetablesandnutritioninadditiontohands-onandworkshopinstructionongardening.Somegranteesalsosupportedfarmers’markets.
• Healthbenetsincludebetteraccesstofreshfruitsandvegetables(especiallyamonglow-incomefamilies)whichleadtobetterdietsandnutrition;reducedasthmaduetoconsumptionoflocalfoodswithtolerablelevelsofpollen.
• Economicbenetscanaccruetoindividualsormunicipalities.Individualscansellproducegrownincommunitygardensasasourceofincome.
Additionally,communitygardenshavebeenshowntoincreasethevalueofnearbyhomesandtobemorecosteffectivetomaintainthantraditionalcityparks.
1 Thenineprojectsrepresentsevenorganizations.TwoorganizationsreceivedtwoHCFgrantseach.
2 Allnumbersreportedareestimatesfortworeasons:(1)Fouroftheprogramsincludedinthisreportwerestillinprogresswhentheseresultswerecalculatedand(2)Granteeswerenotconsistentinthewaytheyreportednumberofservicesandindividualsservedduringthegrantperiod.Estimatespresentedhereareconservative.
3 Sourceforbackgroundinformation:MultipleBenetsofCommunityGardening,byGardeningMatters,Minneapolis,MN
http://www.gardeningmatters.org/resources/multiple_benets.pdf.
HCF GranT reporTCommunityGardenFunding2007-2010
ThepurposeofthisreportistoevaluatetheninecommunitygardenprojectsasasingleHCFfundingcluster.
Examplesfromindividualgranteesarefeaturedonlytoillustratecertainpoints.
• YouthBenets.Communitygardensprovideahands-on,outdoor,exerciseintensivelearningenvironmentforyouth.Youthinvolvedwithcommunitygardenstendtohavebetterknowledgeofnutritionanddietandlearnimportantlifeskills.
• Culturalbenets.Communitygardensareaneffectivewaytoengagenon-Englishspeakingcommunitiesaswellasanappropriatevenueforintergenerationalinteraction.
• Therapeuticbenets.HorticultureTherapyhasbeenshowntobesuccessfulincommunitygardensandcanbeusedfordifferentpopulationsincludingmilitaryveterans.Reductionsinstresslevelsandhealthcomplaintsareassociatedwith
exposuretogreenspace.
BaCKGroundResearchhasshownthatcommunitygardeninghashealth,economic,youth,cultural,andthera-
peuticbenets3
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 3/8
Onegranteespecicallyincludedrefugeepopulationsasitstarget.Thisprojectemphasizedgardeningbothasasourceoffreshproducetosupplementfamilydietsandasapotentialbusinessopportunityforrefugees.Anothergranteeincludedwomenwhohadexperienceddomesticviolenceandtheirchildren.Thisprojectemphasizedboththepsychologicalhealingpotentialofgardeningandgreenspaceaswellasnutrition.And,oneprojecthada
particularfocusontheelderlyanddisabled.
Thegrantees’servicesappeartobehighlyconcentratedgeographicallyintheKansasCityMetropolitanarea,JacksonCounty(MO)WyandotteCounty(KS),andJohnsonCounty(KS).OneprojecttargetedAllenCounty(KS).CassCounty(MO)andLafayetteCounty(MO)arenotrepresentedinthisfundingcluster.
TarGeT populaTIons
Targetpopulationsforcommunitygardenprojectstendtolivewithinverysmallgeographicareas,neighborhoods,orhousingprojects.Thisallowedtargetpopulationseasyandregularaccesstothegardens.
Fiveofthegranteestargetedschool-agedchildrenforprogramming.Twogranteeswereabletopartnerextensivelywithlocalschoolstodevelopschool-basedcommunitygardens,deliverin-classandafterschoolgardenandhealthyeatingcurriculumaswellascookingclassesandtastetesting.Psychologicalwell-beingwasthemainfocusforoneprojectthatincludedschool-agedchildrenwhohadexperiencedabuse,neglect,orabandonment.Thesechildrenwereenrolledinresidentialordaytreatmentprograms,and“horticulturetherapy”wasaddedthroughthecommunitygardenprogram.
TarGeT populaTIon
For GranT
Mostgranteesnotedthattheirtargetpopulationshadlimitedaccesstofreshfoodsduetolackofneighborhoodgrocerystores
andthatthepopulationswereatriskforobesityandoverweight.
2
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 4/8
BudGeT4
TheninegranteesdependedheavilyonHCFtopayforstaffpositions.Approximately$634,000,or60percentofallHCFfundsforthecommunitygardensprograms,wasbudgetedtopayforsalaryandbenets.Althoughthisisahighproportionofthefundingallocations,itisactuallymuchlowerthansomeotherHCFfundingclusters.Anevaluationof112008HCFdomesticviolencegrantees,forexample,showedthatover80percentofHCFfundingfordomesticviolencewasbudgetedforstafng.
Thegranteesspent$212,000(or20percentofallHCFfunds)on“EquipmentandSupplies.”Granteesmadeone-timepurchasessuchasagardentractor,irrigationsystem,soilandsoilamendments,andgardeningtoolswithinthiscategory.Manyoftheseitemswereexpensiveupfrontcostsofestablishingorexpandinggardens,butwillnothavetoberepeatedinthenearfuture.Thismakeslow-costsustainabilitymorelikely.
“OtherDirectExpenses”accountedfor$146,000(or14percentofallHCFfunds)andincludeditemssuchasconsultants.
4 Theseestimatesarebasedongranteesprojectedbudgets.
BudGeT /
CommunITy Garden BeneFITs
CommunITy Garden BeneFITs
Mostgranteesfocusedonthehealthbenetssuchas(1)reducingobesityandoverweightthroughbettereatingandexerciseand(2)improvingaccesstofreshproduceinlow-incomeneighborhoodsintheirstatedgoals.Yet,asacluster,thisgroupofgranteesalsodemonstratetheeconomic,youth,cultural,andtherapeuticbenetsofcommunitygardening.
Twoofthegranteesworkedspecicallywithindividualgardeners(experiencedandbeginning)toturntheircommunitygardeningexperienceintoprotmakingenterprisesinlow-incomeneighborhoods.Thesegranteeshelpedgardeners
getaccesstosmallplotsoflandandprovidedassistancewithmarketing,packaging,andsmallbusinessmanagement.Oneofthesegranteestargetedrefugeesinparticular,asawaytohelpthembecomeeconomicallyindependentbusinesspeople.Severalgranteesstartedorsupportfarmersmarketsbothasanincomegenerationcomponentofthecommunitygardenandawaytofurtherimproveaccesstolocalandfreshproduce.
Manyofthegranteesfocusedonyouthpopulationsinschool-based,summerandresidentialtreatmentprograms.Theseprogramsintegratededucationalprogramming(26week
curriculumcalledEatingfromtheGardenandsixweekcurriculumcalledHealthyHabits)withgardening.Youthorientedprojectsincludedyouthasyoungassecondgradeandincludedmultiplecomponentssuchastastetesting,cooking,andnutritioneducation.
Finally,thetherapeuticpropertiesofthegardenspaceitselfandtheactofgardeningwerementionedbyseveralgrantees.Onlyonegranteespecicallystatedemotionalhealingforchildrenasitsmainpurpose,however.Thisgranteereportsthatchildren
learnedtoworkasteamsandlearnedsocializationskillswhileworkingtogetherinthegarden.Thechildrenforgedhealthyrelationshipswithadultvolunteers,whichwasalsohelpfulintheirtreatment.Anothergranteethatserveswomenwhohaveexperienceddomesticviolencereportsthatthepeacefulnessofthegardenhashelpedparticipants,eventhoughtheprojectisgearedtowardshealthyeatingandnutrition.
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 5/8
ouTComes
Granteeswereabletoachieveandexceedmanyof
theirprogramgoalsintermsofgardendevelopment,participation,education,changedbehaviorandattitudes.Forexample,theUniversityofMissouriExtensionCouncilofJacksonCountywasabletoinvolve574fourthandfthgradersat16schoolsandcommunityorganizationsingardeningandtrainingonnutrition,dietandcooking.Theirgoalwas550childrenand14schools.Theywerealsoabletotrain40“SchoolNutrition/ GardenVolunteers”todeliverthenutritionandgardeningcurriculum(calledEatingfromtheGarden),whentheirgoalwas24.LikeUniversityofMissouriExtension,mostgranteeswereabletodeliverservicestoasmanyormoreindividualsthantheiroriginaltargets.
Chg bv g chi, t
tch.TheUniversityofMissouriExtensionevaluationresultsweresomeofthemostdetailedofallthegranteesTheycompletedsurveyswithstudents,parentsandteacherstoevaluatetheimpactoftheirEatingfromtheGardenprograms.
Resultsfromsurveysshowed:• 53percentsaidtheywereeatingmorevegetables
• 77percentsaidtheywantedtocontinuetoworkinthegarden.
• 4to7percentimprovementintheirknowledgeofplantfunctioning(roleofroots)andgardeningprinciples(compostmaterials).
• Thereseemedtobelittlechangeinthechildren’sbehaviorintermsofeatingfromallthepartsof
thefoodpyramid,butnearlyhalfsaidtheywereeatingbothfromthefruitsandvegetablesgroup(49percent)andthewholegrainsgroup(40percent).
• 75ofparentssurveyed,only27percentreportedthattheirchildrenatemorefruitsandvegetablesaftertheprogramthanbefore.However,one–thirdofparentssaidthattheytriedsomeoftherecipesthatweresenthometothemthroughtheprogram.And,56percentsaidtheyintendedtohaveagardenathomeinthesummer.
ouTCome
“BeforewehadtheEatingfromtheGardenclassIdidnotknowthatgrowingplantsandharvestingthemcouldbefun.BeforethisclassIatejunkfoodandonlyalittlehealthyfood.NowIknowyoushouldeatlotsofhealthyfoodand
notsomuchfriedfood.”
TheUniversityofMissouriExtensionevaluationindicatesthatthecommunitygardenwaseffectiveinchangingchildren’s,teacher’sand
paren’tsknowledgeaboutandattitudestowardsgardening,nutrition,andfoodsafety.And,itwaseffectiveinincreasingphysicalactivity.Changingeatingbehaviors,however,appearstobeaslowerprocess.Othergrantees,includingtheFriendsofYatesprogram,reportedsimilarresults,butthroughlessextensiveevaluations.
- 5th grade student at
The University of Missouri
Extension program
4
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 6/8
ouTComes
Chg g t b g f. TheKansasCityCenterforUrbanAgriculturedemonstratedchangedbehaviorinurbanfarmers’willingnesstoparticipateincollaborativeefforts.Theseeffortsledtolowercosts,higherprots,andmorenancialstabilityforthefarmers.Forexample,approximately12urbanfarmerspurchasedpotatoesandorganicchickenmanuretogether,learningmoreaboutappropriatepotatovarietiesandsavingmoneyintheprocess.
Additionally,over20urbanfarmersparticipatedingrowingtransplantsintheCommunityGreenhouse,againimprovingtheirproductivityandprotpotential,sincenonecouldaffordtobuildagreenhouseindividually.
KansasCityCenterforUrbanAgricultureisalsoworkingtochangelocallandowners’attitudestowardusingvacanturbanlandforgardensthroughlocalmarketing,one-on-oneeducation,andcollaboration.Thisgranteeidentiedeightlocallandownerswhowerewillingtoparticipateinlandevaluationsandwillingtolearnaboutconvertingurbanlandtogardenspace.Asaresult,theywereabletostartthreenewneighborhoodgardensandfarms.
TheKansasCityUrbanYouthCentercommunitygardenwasoneof100youthgardensselectedbytheNationalGardeningAssociationforagardeninggrant.Therewere1,000gardenscompetingnationally.TheKCUrbanYouthgardenwascitedforthecommitment
ofitsyouthgardeners,theconvergenceofgardeningandeducationalcurriculum,anditssustainabilitypractices.ThisgardenalsowonanawardfromUniversityofMissouriExtensionfortheBestYouthGardenintheKansasCityareausingtheEatingfromtheGardencurriculum.Threemastergardens
judged25youthgardensforthiscompetition.6
CommunITy BeneFITs
Thereisanearlyuniversalobservationamongthesegranteesthatthecommunitygardenshaveinspiredindividualsandorganizationstovolunteertheirtimeanddonateresources.Localbusinessesandevenlawenforcementhavedonatedlaborandsuppliesforsettingfenceposts,buildingagreenhouseandtoolshed,improvingsoiletc.Unexpecteddonationshavebeenbothsurprisingandcrucial.
OnegranteeobtainedRussellStoverCandiesrecycledsyrupcontainersasadonationandwasabletousethemtoestablish36raisedgardenbeds.Theywereableto
savethemoneybudgetedforraisedbedsanduseitonothernecessarypurchases.Anothergranteecommentedthatanewcommunitygardenonlocationhasbecomeacentralshowpiecefortheorganizationandamajordrawforpotentialdonors.Theyfeelthattheircashandin-kinddonationshaveincreasedsinceinstallingthegarden.
Therangeofpartnershipsthathaveemergedfromthegardenprojectsincludenearly30schools,severalneighborhoodgroupsandhousingdevelopments,localrestaurants,businesses,andlargecorporationssuchasHallmark.
Communitygardensandurbanfarmingorganizationshavebeenverysupportofoneanother.SeveralprogramshavebenetedfromthepartnershipoftheMasterGardenerprogramandKansasCityCommunityGardens.
Thegardensseemtoinspirecommunityspiritandengagement,withneighborsinvolvedinfoodtastingsandfarmers’marketssponsoredbygrantees.Neighborsseemgenerallysupportiveofthegardensasgreen,attractivespace.Onegrantee,whoestablishedacommunitygarden
onarundownlotatabusytrafcintersection,reportedthatneighborscameouttocomment,carsstoppedtowatch,andthemediacameouttoreportonthechange.Oneneighborhuggedthegranteeandthankedherformaking“thatuglycornersobeautiful.”Anothergranteenotethatthechildrenparticipatingintheprojectobservedlocalcommunitymemberdonatemoney,timeandgardenstructures,sotheylearnedthevalueofgivingbacktothecommunity.Thechildrenweresurprisedthatotherswerewillingtohelptheminthisway.
6 Source:GardeningProgramReapsRecognit ionandResults.Retrievedon1/26/2011fromhttp://www.kcurbanyouthcenter.org/.
ouTComes/
CommunITy BeneFITs
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 7/8
CHallenGes, BarrIers
and lessons learned
Granteesidentiedseveralchallenges,barriersandlessonslearned.Mosthadalreadyidentiedstrategiesforaddressingthechallengesandbarriersthatwerewithintheircontrol.
Wth ffct cc f cit g.Fivegranteesnotedthatwetspringweatherdelayedplanting,gardendevelopmentandeducationalprogramming.Foronegrantee,thismeantchangingvegetablechoicesfromthosethatgrowinthespringto
summervegetables.Foranother,itmeantdelayingsoilamendmentpreparation,whichinturn,delayedplanting.
Asonegranteeputit,“Infarming,youmakeaplanfortheyear/month/week/day,andthenfromthatpointyouareengagedinaconstantprocessofre-prioritizing,adaptingandrefocusing,”asareactiontotheweatherorotherunanticipatedevents.
Gwig ffct gtic chic.Twogranteesnotedthatthegrowingseasondidnot
matchschoolschedules.Onegranteeaddressedthisbyplantingafallandspringgardensothattheycouldusethe26weekEatingfromtheGardencurriculumduringtheacademicschoolyear.Anothergranteeselecteda6weekalternativecurriculum(HealthyHabits)tomatchtheirsummergardenandeducationalprogramming.
Gig tchig ic i t tcc.Granteeswithlessexperienceingardeningstumbledthroughsomeearlysteps.AssistancefromestablishedorganizationsliketheKansasCity
CommunityGardenshelpedthemovercomethisbarrier.Onegranteehadthechallengeoflearningtogrowvegetablesselectedbyrefugeesfromanotherculture.ThesevegetablesdidnotalwaysgrowwellintheMissouriclimate,andthegranteehadtolearntointegratethemwithnopreviousexperience.Anothergranteetrainedvolunteersextensivelytobothdevelopgardensandteachchildrentherelatedcurriculum.Theyfoundthatvolunteerswithteachingexperiencewere
CHallenGes, BarrIer
and lessons learne
morecomfortableinthelearningenvironmentwithchildren,sotheywillbolsterteachingtrainingfornon-teachers.Gardentrainingmadevolunteersmoresuccessfulinestablishinggardens.
ritc t chgig tig hbit.Severalgranteesnotedthatitisdifcultforparticipantstochangetheireatinghabitstointegratemorefreshgardenproduce,eveniftheparticipantssupportedthegardeneffortingeneral.Granteefoundtastetesting,cookingdemonstrations,community
celebrationswithgardenvegetablestobehelpful.
6
8/4/2019 Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas Community Gardens
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/health-care-foundation-of-greater-kansas-community-gardens 8/8
I thi t, i cit g jctf b th Hth C Fti f Gt
K Cit f 2007 t 2010 viw chiv fig ct.
• Sevencommunityorganizationsimplementedthenineprojects.
• FiveoftheprojectswerecompletedbythetimeofthisstudyandwerereviewedbasedontheirFinalProjectReports.
• Fourwerestillinprogressandwerereviewedbased
ontheirmostrecentInterimReports.
Th jct ic i th t it h:Ct jct
• UniversityofMissouriExtensionCouncilofJacksonCounty.EatingfromtheGarden.
• FriendsofYates,Inc.EatingSmart,HealingLives.
• KansasCityCenterforUrbanAgriculture.UrbanMarketDevelopmentProject.
• KansasUrbanYouthCenter.HealthyChoices.
• NilesHomeforChildren.HorticultureTherapy.
appendIx
pjct ti i g:
• UniversityofMissouriExtensionCouncilofJacksonCounty.EatingfromtheGarden.
• KansasCityCenterforUrbanAgriculture.FarmBusinessDevelopmentCenter.(JuniperGardensTrainingFarm&FarmBusinessDevelopmentProgram)
• SAFEBASE/UniedSchoolDistrict257.FunandFit/ FarmtoFork:HealthySprouts
• ElmCreekCommunityGarden.GrowingtheElmCreek
CommunityGarden