Gardening for Health: Using Garden Coordinators and Volunteers to Implement Rural School and Community Gardens

Gardens provide access to healthy food, increase access to nutrition and physical activity opportunities, and are a focal point for community interventions. We used a gardening intervention to improve local access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables and as an integral part of overall efforts of local wellness coalitions. Seasonal garden coordinators were hired, and action plans included goals for nutrition and physical activity education programs and youth and adult engagement. The characteristics of each garden (size, items planted, number of volunteers) and pre- and post-intervention surveys were used to understand how the gardens affected communities. Thirteen gardens were planted, and volunteers provided 18,136 hours; adults from the community reported an increased awareness of garden benefits. The community garden intervention provided opportunities for collaboration with a variety of schools, community organizations, and city and tribal organizations, thereby increasing the sustainability of the intervention.