Did you know?
- 15.3 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2014. (United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service)
- 17.4% of people in Davidson County, Tennessee are food insecure (Feeding America)
- Research indicates that even mild under-nutrition experienced by young children during critical periods of growth impacts the behavior of children, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development. ~ Feeding America
- By 2013 data, an estimated 25.4% of children in Tennessee are food insecure. (Feeding America)
These statistics are upsetting, but we don’t want them to be debilitating! Research shows that school and community gardens can help mediate the food access gap. Check out some of these great articles and studies below:
- United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service’s Report to Congress: “Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food–Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences”
- Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Department of Horticulture research on Garden-Based Learning
- University of New Hampshire research on “Childhood in the Garden: a place to encounter natural and social diversity”
- Penn State University faculty Dorothy Blair on “The Child in the Garden: An Evaluative Review of the Benefits of School Gardening”
- University of California at Davis: Center for Nutrition in Schools on Garden-Based Learning
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are “food deserts?” Are there any in Nashville? Enter Nashville, TN, on the USDA’s food desert locator map and see.
How does garden-based education help?
What is service-learning? Learn what makes an effective service-learning experience.
Do kids who grow kale really eat kale? Read this article for one perspective.