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.
“We want to work to strengthen already existing community engagement. Our major goal is to partner with residents,” said Joy Wilcox, director of community engagement at The Primavera Foundation. Back in 2008, a resident survey revealed the strong interest the community had in gardening, Wilcox said. “There was so much discussion and synergy that we had a meeting to discuss how to get things going,” Wilcox said.“A lot of good things come from community gardening,” Wilcox explained. “You see inter-generational interaction where people are planting together and also economic stimulation through farmers markets. We even hope to eventually have a tour of the garden network.”
Access to affordable healthy food is important, Wilcox said. “If the community wants to work on this then we are going to work to support them in doing so,” she added.
Ochoa Elementary School, on 25th Street and Sixth Avenue, has gotten involved in the community gardening initiative with the help and support of its students and their parents.
“We have had garden at home for a long time, but the school has reinforced it,” said Chucho Vaisevoi, South Tucson resident. Vaisevoi’s son Cajeme, 4, loves working on the community garden and the family has learned a lot about gardening practices, he said. Cajeme also gets to bring vegetables home. “Families take care of it so we get to harvest it as well,” Vaisevoi said.
Genevieve Hernandez’s 6-year-old son Victor participated in planting for the school garden and comes to check out how the spinach, carrots, cilantro, peas, and other various plants have grown. “He helped with planting and we also take turns of taking care of the garden over the summer,” Hernandez said. “They learn the care of nature and the benefits of having your own garden,” she said.
Four-year-old Jasmine Elena is having an easier time recognizing healthy foods because of the Ochoa garden, said her mother Aurora Bray. “She’s eating a lot more cucumbers and carrots and opening up to more vegetables because she’s exposed to them at school,” Bray said.
Josefina Ahumada, a board member for the House of Neighborly Service, said that gardens are a crucial part in working toward the larger picture of promoting a healthy community.
After updating their campus in December with a park area, running path, and trees the HNS will focus on replacing the community garden that was once in place years ago. Their focus is to encourage and provide education and means for exercise and healthy eating, Ahumada said. “The community will have immediate access to food, and eventually classes talking about going from ground to table,” she added.
For some who are busy with work or adjusting to the American lifestyle after emigrating from another place the default for a meal is fast food, Ahumada said. “We are trying to reintroduce the healthful eating lifestyle.”
Once the garden is planted in late January, Ahumada said there is interest to develop and start a farmer’s market. “If you don’t have transportation it is difficult to get to a store selling healthy foods,” she added, “We want to give people alternatives. We are trying to provide opportunities for residents and organizations within the community to get involved and make a difference.”
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If you would like to get involved with the South Tucson Garden Network contact Joy Wilcox at The Primavera Foundation at 520-623-5111. To volunteer your time or get involved with programs at the House of Neighborly Service contact Josefina Ahumada at 520-481-3532.
