Health Education Council awards $12,500 grants to support community gardens in Placer County


Published on August 24, 2015

In collaboration with Placer County Health and Human Services, the Health Education Council (HEC) Executive Director Debra Oto-Kent announced today that $12,500 has been awarded to six programs in Placer County to support community garden projects.

“The Health Education Council recognizes many benefits of community gardening,” said Oto-Kent. “These community garden grants will provide an impetus for nutrition education, fresh produce for distribution, neighborhood and community development, and opportunities for recreation and exercise.”

The grants support one-year term projects to begin or expand community gardens that serve CalFresh eligible populations.

“Health and Human Services supports community gardens as they help promote and reinforce nutrition education and provide fresh fruits and vegetables for our neediest residents,” said Linda Patterson, Director of Placer County Human Services.

Man Doing Garden Work

The following community garden efforts in Placer County will be funded: 

Foresthill High School – Supports implementation of high school teaching garden that will provide fruits and vegetables to a food closet.

“This grant helps to provide so much more than a just garden,” said Foresthill High School Teacher Steven Casperite. “Our community garden will provide food for local food banks, fresh produce for the school, a source of fundraising through produce sales, as well as an educational tool for our students.”

Community Recovery Resources - Supports ongoing implementation of a garden for people recovering from substance abuse.

Yolo Community Care Continuum – Supports implementation of a garden for people recovering from mental health issues.

First United Methodist Church of Loomis – Supports ongoing implementation of garden to provide fruits and vegetables for Placer Food Bank.

Valley Oaks Senior Apartments Community Garden - Supports rehabilitation of a garden for low-income senior citizens.

Saint James Episcopal Church – Lincoln – Supports existing garden that will provide fruits and vegetables to food closets.

The Health Education Council (HEC) is dedicated to providing access, education, advocacy, and training to empower individuals towards a healthy life.  For over 25 years, HEC’s main focus has been to eliminate preventable causes of death resulting from the use of tobacco, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity. As a leader in convening diverse partnerships, HEC has administered federal cooperative agreements with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Office on Smoking and Health, Office on Minority Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For more information, please visit Health Ed Council.