ElIndeNews.com

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Frank Heredia doesn’t just paint cars. He doesn’t just repair body panels, nor does he just do framework. Heredia makes art. He takes cars, sometimes crumpled from wrecks and in dire need of repair, and turns them into eye-catching beauties.

His shop, Frank’s Auto Refinishing, located on Fourth Avenue just south of 31st Street, has been a mainstay in South Tucson for 20 years. Heredia’s experience goes much further back than that, however.

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Community gardening has taken root in South Tucson and continues to grow as various organizations collaborate to address issues of food access and security.

Communities Putting Prevention to Work has allocated money from its $15 million obesity prevention and reduction grant toward elements like gardening to spur environmental change. According to the CPPW community profile, approximately 21 percent of adults in Pima County are obese and high school students in the area are at an increased risk for obesity. The profile also says the obesity rate among Hispanics in Arizona is 31.4 percent, exceeding the national Hispanic obesity average of 28.7 percent.

“We’ve been able to plot 91 full size gardens, hundreds of container gardens, and gardens at 11 schools in high need areas off Pima County, said Don Gates, program coordinator for CPPW.  “We are trying to increase food security by creating more access to healthy food.” Ochoa Elementary School, House of Neighborly Service and The Primavera Foundation have also joined the cause and are teaming up to create the South Tucson Garden Network.