Vibrant Community, Healthy Garden: A Collective Impact Strategy to

Improve Health and Build Community

Athena Ramos, Albert Varas, Anita Soto, Deibi Sibrian, and Jose Labrador

Session Objectives

● Understand how collective impact thinking can be used to foster community health

● Recognize opportunities to incorporate community gardening into an overall strategy of improving health and wellbeing

● Discuss the development of City Sprouts South at Dorothy Patach Environmental Area

Collective Impact

Benefits of Community Gardens

● Eat healthy fresh fruits and vegetables.

● Engage in physical activity, skill building, and creating green space.

● Beautify vacant lots.

● Revitalize communities in industrial areas.

● Revive and beautify public parks.

● Create green rooftops.

● Decrease violence in some neighborhoods, and improve social well-being through strengthening social connections.

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. (2010). Community Gardens.

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/healthtopics/healthyfood/community.htm

VACANT LOT TOOLKIT:

http://www.cityofomaha.org/planning/hcd/images/stories/pdfs/VLT%20Reduced.

pdf

A Bird’s Eye View

●NEED TO INSERT PHOTOS FROM ACTIVITIES

Kite making

Leaf rubbing party.

Tree removal

Block Party

Halloween Village: Creation

Halloween Village: Festival

Building Community

City Sprouts South…An Example of Collective Impact

Think about an idea to improve our community…

1. What issue(s) are you passionate about?

2. What type of collective impact strategy could you develop?

3. Who would be your partners?

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