Nourishing our Community: A Food & Nutrition Education Project in the Bronx
The South Bronx has more obese residents than elsewhere in New York City—27% of its residents, compared to 20% of New Yorkers citywide—according to a 2006 a Federal community survey.Grantee Name
Phipps Community Development Corporation
Funding Area
Special Projects Fund
Publication Date
September 2008
Grant Amount
$100,000
Grant Date:
January 2007 — December 2007
The South Bronx has more obese residents than elsewhere in New York City—27% of its residents, compared to 20% of New Yorkers citywide—according to a 2006 a Federal community survey.
Contributing to the high rates of obesity and diabetes are unhealthy eating habits, which result in part from a lack of opportunities for acquiring fresh produce. The project sought to provide nutrition information and healthy food options for people living in an impoverished urban area.
Outcomes and Lessons Learned
- Young residents learned about food production and healthy fresh foods through a community gardening project, after-school environmental education workshops, and a teen cooking program.
- Residents used the market to buy fresh produce and learn about ways to cook it.
- Returning customers said they liked that the food was fresh and affordable and that they had changed their shopping habits to include the market.