WESTERN HEIGHTS TRANSFORMATION PLAN
FOOD SECURITY IMPROVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY, AND FRESH FOOD
Western Heights is a community that is passionate about food — from cooking to cultural dishes to gardening and celebrating with food. Residents talked about wanting to garden more, and the children shared that they would like to have a place where they can get healthy snacks in the neighborhood. The Western Heights neighborhood lacks convenient access to affordable and healthy food. At least 63% of households in Census Tract 14 report SNAP enrollment compared to 13% in Knox County (ACS 2017). 144
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STRATEGY 1 Improve access to affordable, healthy, culturally inclusive, and fresh food » Increase on-site emergency food pantry options » Increase fresh produce delivery » Increase distributions of healthy nonperishable commodity foods to Western Heights residents » Ensure access to food during out-of-school hours through the school backpack program, after-school programming, and summer camps » Connect eligible seniors with mobile meals » Enroll interested and eligible residents in the SNAP program » Expand Western Heights boxed and disabled specific community garden plots » Develop refugee-specific open space garden plots » Stock culturally appropriate shelf-stable items and produce within emergency pantries and commodities distribution
The People Plan / Food Security
STRATEGY 2 Cultivate activities that improve nutrition education, healthier decision-making, and self-sustainability » Host an AmeriCorps State National Member who will work with residents on developing and maintaining gardens » Hire a school-based Education Garden Coordinator to offer instruction and resources to Beaumont Elementary and the Western Heights Boys & Girls Club » Create student nursing nutrition evaluation and education workshops » Create a social-benefit restaurant next to the hillside climbing park to provide cooking classes and demonstrations for residents. A café or takeaway restaurant on the ground floor will use a pay-it-forward model so that residents who can’t afford to pay can redeem prepaid meals. » Develop a shared community kitchen and culinary/kitchen incubator for individuals wanting to grow their catering business, and residents can make and sell items in the on-site café » Plant a food forest with fruit trees and other perennials where neighborhood residents are welcome to harvest fruit
OUTCOMES • Residents have access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods • Residents feel confident in their knowledge about healthy cooking and nutrition
