The Health Department’s Step ONE (Optimize with Nutrition and Exercise) program offers grants to neighborhoods and organizations to begin and sustain teaching gardens. The purpose of the Step ONE teaching gardens is to:
· Demonstrate to children and families the importance of food choices for overall health;
· Provide opportunities for people to learn valuable skills such as communication, responsibility, teamwork, and leadership.
The combination of distance to a healthy food retail outlet and poverty create what the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) calls a “food desert.” According to USDA and Census Bureau data, about 72,000 people in Chattanooga and Hamilton County live in food deserts, with about 23,000 (32%) of those people living in poverty. People who live in food deserts tend to suffer from more chronic diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The presence of fresh, healthy food choices, along with regular physical activity, is critical in reversing these trends.
“The Step ONE garden program seeks to change the relationship we have with food,” explains Step ONE Program Manager John Bilderback, “When people- especially children- are involved in the process of preparing, planting, maintaining, and harvesting gardens, research shows they are more likely to eat the fruits and vegetables they produce. By changing our food habits we are building a healthier future for our county.”
Since December 2008, Step ONE has funded 41 teaching gardens around Hamilton County. Any organization such as neighborhood associations, churches, schools, businesses, or daycares may apply. The grants range from $250 to $1,000 and are used to purchase supplies and building materials. Now through the end of August, Step ONE will be accepting applications and the group should be ready to launch their garden early next spring. Application materials can be found on the Step ONE website.
Step ONE was instrumental in establishing the Chattanooga Mobile Market, now managed by the YMCA, which mobilizes the produce section of a supermarket into the food desert areas. Step ONE is also promoting local Farmer’s Markets to encourage support for local farmers and our local food economy.
“We are proud of our Hamilton County Health Services Division and their efforts with the teaching gardens, Mobile Market, and Farmer’s Market initiatives,” says Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, “The teaching gardens are teaching more than just good nutrition, they are teaching core values such as unity, cooperation, relationship building, and leadership to people of all ages. When these values take root in the garden, they take root in our community.”
For more information about partnering with Step ONE or to apply for the teaching garden grants, call 423-209-8090.