Item 8. AAAHCT_Marva Overton_Genice H - May 2026 — original pdf

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Alliance for African American Health in Central Texas Addressing the Food System through Intergenerational Gardening About Intergenerational Gardening Soul to Soul (IGS2S) What IGS2S is: A program that brings together youth, adults, and senior adults to establish and maintain vegetable gardens at the homes of older adults (aka seniors). Why IGS2S started: Recognition that there were older adults in the Black community who wanted vegetables gardens but did not have the physical capacity to do all the work themselves. How IGS2S works: Bridges the generations to grow food, share knowledge, and enhance community connections. Main components include: • Gardening Teams • Gardening Skill Lessons • Food Sovereignty Workshops • Financial Literacy Workshops IGS2S and the Food Plan We see ourselves in the Food Plan because AAAHCT: • Provides access to culturally relevant foods (seniors grow what • they want to eat) Increases food access and community connections through home gardens and sharing of produce • Reduces transportation and access barriers for foods grown at home • Serves seniors primarily in eastern Travis County, an area identified as having higher rates of food insecurity • Focuses on populations known to be vulnerable to food insecurity (i.e., Blacks, older adults, and children) • Teaches the concept of food sovereignty and the importance of having agency over foods you consume • Covers the cycle of growing produce, from planting to preparation Challenges and Opportunities Challenges: •No full -time program manager •Maintaining gardens for seniors once they graduate from the program •Youth recruitment •Transportation for youth •Consistent tracking of quantity of food grown •Funding Opportunities: •Scale program •Develop volunteer component to help seniors maintain their gardens after finishing the program •Create pathways for participants, especially youth, to engage in food system advocacy •Incorporate more cooking lessons into the IGS2S program •Continue to leverage the intersection between IGS2S and A Better Me to educate and engage more people in food system issues