Building healthy communities in Washtenaw County

The Washtenaw County Health Department recently announced the planned distribution of $30,000 in grant funding through its Building Healthy Communities program with awards to Food Gatherers, Growing Hope, and the Farm at St. Joe’s. Food Gatherers, which engages partner agencies, will identify strategies to improve the quality of programming and to increase the amount and kinds of healthy food going to pantries to better meet the needs of clients. Ypsilanti Farmers Markets, funded and staffed by Growing Hope, will host the Power of Produce (POP) Club to encourage children ages 5-12 to taste and experience fresh produce. The eight-week program will enable POP Club members to receive $2 per week in tokens to spend on fruits and vegetables. The Farm at St. Joe’s will build a new hoop house for growing plants from seeds and nurturing seedlings, as a dedicated year-round facility to start crops while teaching youth and adults the skills to plant and grow food (in gardens or containers) at home.