The simple act of planting a garden can shape issues like economics, health, and politics at the same time because food is an essential focal point of human activity. As the urban farming movement grows, transformation happens.

• Many community gardeners take advantage of food production to provide a significant source of food and/or income.

• Community gardens allow families and individuals without land of their own the opportunity to produce food.

• Community gardens provide access to nutritionally rich foods that may otherwise be unavailable to low-income families.

• Community gardens donate thousands of pounds of fresh produce to food pantries and involve people in processes that

  provide food security and alleviate hunger.

• Studies have shown that Community gardeners and their children eat healthier diets than do non-gardening families.

• Exposure to green space reduces stress and increases a sense of wellness and belonging.

• Increasing the consumption of fresh local produce is one of the best ways to address childhood lead poisoning.

• The benefits of Horticulture Therapy can be and are used to great advantage in community Urban gardens.

• Community Urban gardens offer unique

  opportunities to teach youth about:

• Where food comes from

• Practical math skills

• Basic business principles

• Job and life skills

• Issues of environmental sustainability

• The importance of community & stewardship

• Community Urban gardening is a healthy, inexpensive activity to bring youths closer to nature, and allow them to interact with each other in a socially meaningful and physically productive way.

• Community Urban gardens provide opportunities to meet neighbors.

• Community Urban gardens increase eyes on the street.

• Community gardens increase a sense of community ownership

• Community gardens foster the development of a community identity & spirit.

• Community Urban gardens bring people together from a wide variety of

  backgrounds (age, race, culture, social class).

• Community gardens add beauty to the community and heighten people’s awareness and appreciation for living things.
• Community gardens restore oxygen to the air and help to reduce air pollution.
• Community gardens provide a place to retreat from the noise and commotion of urban environments.
• Community gardens provide much needed green space in lower-income neighborhoods which typically have access toless green space than do other parts of the community.
• Scientific studies show that crime decreases in neighborhoods as the number of green space increases.
• Community gardens have been shown to actually increase property values in the immediate vicinity