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Emory University Urban Health Initiative Atlanta is experiencing great health disparity. Poor people and people of color are more likely to live shorter and sicker lives and are less likely to survive chronic illnesses than their fellow Atlantans. The Urban Health Initiative serves people in underserved communities in metropolitan Atlanta. The initiative provides health education and advocacy, builds collaborative partnerships and develops best-practice models to advance equity in health and well-being. The initiative offers the following programs:
Community Teaching Garden The Community Teaching Garden has strong connections with the Bankhead, Vine City and Oak Grove communities in northwest Atlanta. They are in “food deserts,” as designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 250 community members have worked in the garden or attended workshops. The initiative has implemented a number of programs, including: The Young Ag-Entrepreneur Program: The program combines gardening/agricultural education, community leadership and business skill development in two sessions a week for ten weeks. The Tuesday Noon Together Program: The program serves lunch to senior citizens in the community. The meals provide opportunities for inter-generational engagement. The program also provides information on disaster preparedness to community residents and the homeless.
