The Relationship Between Community Gardens and Community Well-Being Panel presentation featuring: Greater Newark Conservancy Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark Introduce myself, panel members I will speak briefly and give an overview of community gardens, and then I want to hear from the panel, people who are currently working in the field and who are truly experts on the subject

Is environmentalism relevant to the field of Social Work? Community gardens include a history of activism and “green guerrilla” warfare Marginalized and oppressed populations are disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, obesity, and other health problems; issues that community gardens can address Life-giving, life-sustaining, strengths-based approach Our current President and administration have recognized the importance of the environment, and the need to preserve it. In my old brooklyn neighborhood trendy “green” stores started popping up. Environmentalism and “eco friendly” is now synonymous with “futuristic” and “cool” how does that relate to social work? (go over slide)

Definition and Overview Community gardens defined as any piece of land gardened by a group of people -American Community Gardening Association Characterized by Improved physical and mental health Increased social participation Increased nutrition and decreased dependence on assistance programs There are many different types of gardens, categorized by location (eg rooftop vs windowsill), what’s actually grown in the garden itself, as well as who can access the garden. Most community gardens are managed by neighborhood residents themselves, or by an agency or organization. Overall community gardens meet many needs of low-income communities and improve the quality of life of individuals residing in inner-city urban environments. While often overlooked as a strategy to counteract violence and poverty in the inner-city, community gardens possess tremendous potential to improve the living conditions for individuals of low socioeconomic status *research concludes that community members experienced improved physical and mental health, increased social participation, and increased likeliho

Physical Health Benefits Prevalence of childhood obesity in low-income minority populations higher than the national average (Grant et al, 2002) Families who receive food stamps mostly consume fried and sugary foods (Schwartz-Nobel, 2002) Average food stamp benefit allots for just $1 per meal (Teters & Weber, 2007) Problems with food stamps, now critcizing that food stamps are government-sponsored obesity. However, we should look at what recipients are eating, and whether they are getting enough exercise. *Fried and sugary foods are low cost and help make you feel full Community gardens improve access to fresh produce and incorporate more variety and nutrition

Mental Health Benefits Contact with “green” settings alleviates ADHD symptoms (Taylor, Kuo, & Sullivan, 2001) Substance abuse/dependence treatment (The New York Times) Foster feelings of accomplishment, self-worth, and self-confidence (Parry, Glover & Shinew, 2004) *better looking neighborhood, makes you feel valued, proud Somewhat counter intuitively, research revealed a negative relationship between both property crimes and violent crimes, and vegetation that preserved visibility. This study proposed that well-maintained open-spaces and high canopy trees with little effect on visibility would decrease crime rates in the inner city. Conducted at the Ida B. Wells public housing development in Chicago, the research supported the contention that vegetation inhibited crime through increased surveillance. The research directly contradicts the belief that vegetation increases violence, and community gardens are a crucial factor in reducing violence and crime in the inner-city.

Social Participation Community gardens provide opportunities for socialization Mayor Giuliani vs. Community Gardens (Smith & Kurtz, 2003) Community gardens found to decrease littering and vandalism in proximate areas (Armstrong, 2000) Decrease violence, increase property value, in the past community gardens would have to lease the land in the city and then when property rose and violence decreased, the city would end the lease and build where the garden used to be Neighborhood residents quickly become attached to their garden, as demonstrated by Smith and Kurtz (2003), who studied the response of New York City community garden participants to the 1999 decision of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. His administration slated 114 community gardens for auction and redevelopment. The authors noted that community gardens, most often built on abandoned lots, drew residents out of their homes to participate. When community members learned of the Mayor’s plan to bulldoze the gardens they partnered with other gardens and environmental agencies and successfully advocated for their cause. The gardens created a common bond between residents, which fostered a sense of community, and increased social participation.

What’s next? Increased research, especially quantitative research Case examples abound in newspaper and magazines, but empirical evidence is needed Continued projects and programs Continued programs, such as the garden at St. Bridget’s