212: Jenny Beasley on Community Gardening.
Building a community revitalization garden project from scratch.
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Jenny received her certification as a health coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City along with her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University. She is currently the Director of Heart for the City Community Garden located in Glendale, AZ.
She became involved with Heart for the City seven years ago, a non-profit that helps change lives of inner city at risk youth by walking life with them. She was asked to spearhead a 1/2-acre community revitalization project…. a community garden in which they educate Title 1 school children and their families on gardening and provide families ways of growing their own healthy foods.
She decided to become a health coach to fulfill her passion of working with individuals to enhance their own well-being.
In this podcast:
Starting a community garden from scratch is no easy feat, and Greg talks with Jenny Beasley to hear about her work to bring a bare lot to life with a very thriving and highly appreciated garden resource in her community.
Listen in and learn about:
- How she got involved with the non-profit Heart for the City and her chance to spearhead a new community garden
- Her introduction to the importance of healthy food
- More about Heart for the City and their work with inner city kids
- How and why the garden idea grew
- The community work the organization is accomplishing before the gardens
- How the connections to the neighborhood families expanded after the community gardens went in
- The community event that helped open the eyes of the neighbors to the potential for the gardens
- The struggles of getting the community garden started and how important it was to keep moving forward
- Trying to get the kids and neighbors to connect and feel like the garden belonged to the community
- The unexpected personal growth and inner strengths that she found while doing this project
- The key lesson learned while starting this project revolving around communication
As well as:
- Her failure – Her struggle overcoming the slow connection to the community
- Her success – Having this project come to fruition and the pride she takes in the active community garden
- Her drive – seeing the changes she is observing in peoples’ lives
- Her advice – Be persistent, dedicated and committed
Jenny’s Book recommendations:
The Power of TED (*The Empowerment Dynamic) by David Emerald
How to reach Jenny:
Website: www.heartforthecityaz.org
UrbanFarm.org/HeartForTheCity
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Very inspiring and interesting. Best podcast so far!
It seems like a great concept. I hope they start one in my neighborhood soon, love to get some fresh veggies!