Grow Healthy is:
Led by youth volunteers
Our 772 youth contributors have volunteered over 38 thousand hours to building gardens across the country. We have built 28 gardens in total.
Committed to Ending Food Deserts
We select garden locations using a GIS tool to maximize our impact. So far we have donated over 20 thousand pounds of fresh produce to local food banks.
Educating THE NEXT GENERATION
We provide a curriculum to preschools that host our gardens so that they can teach their children about where fresh food really comes from.
Our Mission is to Grow
HEALTHY MINDS
We are committed to educating preschooler age children about making healthy choices. We have a comprehensive STEM curriculum built to include fun and creative activities, the garden itself, and fun healthy recipes so that they gain a love of healthy cooking early. Children who learn from the Grow Healthy curriculum learn math skills through the garden, and learn information about nature and plants through both the garden and games.
HEALTHY BODIES
To date, we have grown and donated 20,500 pounds of produce across 28 garden locations. That fresh, healthy produce allows both the children who help grow it and their families to eat healthy food and enjoy increased access to healthy options. As well, knowledge of healthy habits and access to healthy food from a young age assists children in fighting against diseases like childhood obesity and diabetes.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
We enjoy the help of 772 youth volunteers who have together given 38,983 hours to the betterment of their community. They have helped Grow Healthy fight food deserts, which occur when people who live in a location are far away from or cannot access fresh and healthy food options. When we plant community gardens, harvests the produce, and donates it to local food banks, local low-income families are provided with access to fresh and healthy food options that they otherwise would not have had.
Community Gardens Matter
Grow Healthy uses community gardens, STEM education, and food donations to fight food deserts, food insecurity, and childhood obesity.
Our Impact
As of July 15, 2017:
772 Youth Volunteers
38983 Volunteer Hours
28 Garden Locations
30500 lbs. of Produce Donated
