Gardens for Growing Healthy Communities (Denver)
A recently formed collaborative, Gardens for Growing Healthy Communities studies how community gardens in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods in Denver impact community health and translates findings for stakeholders. The project works to foster community well-being in inner-city neighborhoods by turning vacant lots into community gardens.
The goal of this project is to understand the role of community gardens as a catalyst for broader neighborhood improvements and public health changes, including physical activity and dietary patterns. Preliminary research has shown that Denver’s garden have helped to foster neighborhood ties and promote physical, social, and mental well-being. By providing access to fresh organic produce, opportunities for physical activity, contact with nature, and neighborhood meeting places, these gardens promote physical and mental health in communities with diverse residents, making them a powerful tool in building healthy and thriving communities.
Information on Denver’s Gardens for Growing Healthy Communities project, as well as similar projects around the country to create safe, healthy, and thriving communities can be found on Prevention Institute’s website and in their report, The Built Environment and Health: 11 Profiles of Neighborhood Transformations.
