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Look for the Eat Smart Move More School Community Gardens!
Township #3 students study earthworms in the soil
Cleveland County Health Department partners with local schools and churches
to develop community gardens that feed the need...
Cleveland County elementary students are learning about healthy food choices through community gardens funded by a grant.
The Cleveland County Health Department received an Eat Smart Move More (ESMM) Community Grant in the amount of $40,750 from the Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch of the NC Department of Public Health - a branch of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. The funding is being used to establish and maintain community gardens at schools. Goals of the community gardens project include: provide opportunities for fresh produce distribution to members of participating schools and faith communities; provide opportunities for classroom instruction using the community gardens as a teaching tool; and increase opportunities for school and community education about healthy food choices to improve overall nutrition and activity among participants.
One of the greatest benefits of the gardens will be hunger relief for the community. Schools may provide the fresh fruits and vegetables produced by their gardens to students who are determined to be in need.
The following schools are participating in the Eat Smart Move More School Community Garden Program: Jefferson Elementary, West Elementary, Washington Elementary, Fallston Elementary, Graham Elementary and Township Number 3. Multiple raised garden beds were built at each participating school. The schools received t-shirts for the students who helped in the building and planting process, rain barrels for collecting water, shovels, rakes, hoses, a garden cart, and a storage shed to store all of their garden supplies. Teachers also received a copy of "Got Veggies?" a garden-based curriculum. The primary goal of the curriculum is to get children to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables through fun and interactive lesson plans, garden-based activities, and kid friendly recipes.
Local churches have partnered with each school garden to help maintain the community gardens during the summer when school is out. Church partners were invited based upon their proximity to each school and willingness to serve, or if the church already had an existing relationship with schools through other initiatives. The following churches are partnered with the gardens: Aldersgate United Methodist, Christopher Road Baptist, Eastside Baptist, Kings Mountain First Baptist, Friendship United Methodist and Washington Missionary Baptist in Waco. Partnering churches will use the food produced to provide hunger relief to church families and stock local food pantries and soup kitchens. The produce may also be donated to Farmer FoodShare, a food donation program sponsored by the Foothills Farmers Market.
Master Gardeners volunteered during planting days at the schools and have made themselves available to provide consultation and gardening knowledge and support. The Burns High FFA students also helped in construction of garden beds at Washington Elementary.
The sustainability of these community gardens is very much dependent upon the support of community volunteers. While all participating schools currently have a partnering church, there is still opportunity for other churches, organizations, and individuals to partner with the schools and assist in the care of the gardens.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the school community garden program is encouraged to contact Julie Weathers, Program Coordinator, at 704-669-3138 or Julie.weathers@clevelandcounty.com.

Provided by Cleveland County Health Department

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