Rural Tennessee Communities Support Healthy Choices Through Gardening

At A Glance

In four rural Tennessee counties, Community Coalitions for Change (C3) partnered with schools, churches, and community organizations to promote healthy eating through fruit and vegetable gardens. Thirty-one community sites received support from C3 Coalitions to grow their own produce. Over 7,500 community residents benefit from the gardens through teaching activities, healthy eating promotions, and donations to local community organizations serving low-income families.

By Cori Sweet

Public Health Challenge

Obesity can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many cancers. Poor diet patterns, physical inactivity, and lack of access to healthier foods and physical activity venues all contribute to the complex issue of obesity. The rate of adult obesity in four Tennessee counties—Haywood, Humphreys, Lake and Lauderdale—was higher than 40% in 2012 (the state average was 31%). These high rates allowed the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension Service to receive funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Programs to Reduce Obesity in High Obesity Areas (1416) Cooperative Agreement. To help prioritize program efforts and specific factors residents felt could help them lead healthier lifestyles, the UT Extension led a needs assessment in these counties. Residents identified affordability and lack of quality produce as barriers to healthy eating.

Approach

UT Extension used CDC funding to focus on healthy eating and obesity prevention efforts in the four high-obesity counties. Each county formed a C3 Coalition made up of local leaders who volunteer their time and passion to promote health in their communities. C3 Coalitions partnered with community sites to offer resources such as gardening supplies, plants, raised garden beds, and gardening expertise. The C3 Coalitions worked with each garden site to create a plan for sharing and donating harvests in the community.

We are far away from fresh produce on this side of town. Everything is a nice drive away from the residents here, so this [garden] gives them access to fresh produce within their own community. It has truly, truly benefitted the community.
- Garden Volunteer Rice Park

Results

As a result of these efforts, 31 gardens at schools, churches, senior centers, and community areas now provide access to local produce in the four counties. Seventeen of these gardens at community sites help to improve access to fresh produce by donating harvests to senior centers, churches, summer feeding programs, and food pantries. Over 1,200 local residents benefit from these donations. Fourteen school gardens reach over 6,500 youth providing produce to introduce students to new healthy foods. Each garden is a collaborative effort of C3 Coalitions, community organizations and community members. To support gardening efforts, UT Extension staff worked with C3 Coalitions to host home gardening workshops and offered supplies and guidance to 149 home gardeners.

What's Next

Each year, C3 coalitions work toward expanding garden efforts by developing new partnerships at community sites and supporting activities of current garden partners. Coalitions work with garden sites to develop plans to support long-term success, which include designating a site leader responsible for coordinating and sustaining garden maintenance. Garden leadership and C3 coalitions also continually work to get outside funding sources to support future harvests. In 2017, community members and organizations donated over $3,000 in additional supplies and resources for garden start-up and continued maintenance.

Find Out More

Learn more about C3 Coalition initiatives in Haywood, Humphreys, Lake, and Lauderdale counties. Visit bemorelivemore.org. This initiative is supported through the Programs to Reduce Obesity in High Obesity Areas (1416) Cooperative Agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Contact

Cori Sweet
University of Tennessee Extension
2621 Morgan Circle Dr.

Knoxville, TN 37996

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Web site

http://nccd.cdc.gov/nccdsuccessstories/

CDC-INFO

https://wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/ContactUs/Form

The findings and conclusions in this success story are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funding agencies or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).