2 minute read
Food Security
Western Heights is a community that is passionate about food — from cooking to cultural dishes to gardening and celebrating with food. Residents talked about wanting to garden more, and the children shared that they would like to have a place where they can get healthy snacks in the neighborhood. The Western Heights neighborhood lacks convenient access to affordable and healthy food. At least 63% of households in Census Tract 14 report SNAP enrollment compared to 13% in Knox County (ACS 2017).
Advertisement
STRATEGY 1
Improve access to affordable, healthy, culturally inclusive, and fresh food » Increase on-site emergency food pantry options » Increase fresh produce delivery » Increase distributions of healthy nonperishable commodity foods to Western
Heights residents » Ensure access to food during out-of-school hours through the school backpack program, after-school programming, and summer camps » Connect eligible seniors with mobile meals » Enroll interested and eligible residents in the
SNAP program » Expand Western Heights boxed and disabled specific community garden plots » Develop refugee-specific open space garden plots » Stock culturally appropriate shelf-stable items and produce within emergency pantries and commodities distribution
STRATEGY 2
Cultivate activities that improve nutrition education, healthier decision-making, and self-sustainability » Host an AmeriCorps State National Member who will work with residents on developing and maintaining gardens » Hire a school-based Education Garden
Coordinator to offer instruction and resources to Beaumont Elementary and the Western
Heights Boys & Girls Club » Create student nursing nutrition evaluation and education workshops » Create a social-benefit restaurant next to the hillside climbing park to provide cooking classes and demonstrations for residents. A café or takeaway restaurant on the ground floor will use a pay-it-forward model so that residents who can’t afford to pay can redeem prepaid meals. » Develop a shared community kitchen and culinary/kitchen incubator for individuals wanting to grow their catering business, and residents can make and sell items in the on-site café » Plant a food forest with fruit trees and other perennials where neighborhood residents are welcome to harvest fruit
OUTCOMES
• Residents have access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods • Residents feel confident in their knowledge about healthy cooking and nutrition
EXISTING CONDITIONS
94% of residents in Census Tract 14 have limited access to healthy food 65% of residents in target area need emergency pantry food 66% of seniors ages 60 and older in target housing demonstrate eligibility criteria to receive Mobile Meals There are 5 gardeners growing produce and flowers at Western Heights, which includes 3 raised beds and 4 in-ground plots 100% of refugee households desire culturally appropriate food items to be stocked in local pantries
TARGET METRICS
100% of residents in target area will have access to healthy food Reduce the need for emergency food by 100%
100% of eligible seniors receive Mobile Meals
Garden plots increase by 50%
100% of refugee households have access to culturally appropriate food options
PARTNERS
• Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley • CAC AmeriCorps • CAC Beardsley Farm, Urban Agriculture and
Green Thumb • CAC Nutrition Services • CAC SNAP Outreach • Baptist Compassion Center • Dream Center Knoxville • Real Good Kitchen • Nourish Knoxville • Second Harvest of East Tennessee • University of Tennessee, Agricultural
Extension • Wesley House Community Center
