Public Policy - has information about Public Policy and Federal Food Assistance programs, including links to updates on relevant legislation and outreach materials and tips for increasing participation in Federal Food Assistance Programs.

Stone Soup Community Garden

Toddlers Help Put Food on the Table
Laurie Green, MS, RD

The Stone Soup Community Garden and Education Project is a 3-year grant project by the First 5 Sacramento Commission. The purpose of the First 5 Sacramento Commission is to implement the goals and objectives of the California Children and Families Act of 1998 (Proposition 10) and to administer monies in Sacramento County Children and Families First Trust Fund. "The California Children and Families Act of 1998 is designed to provide, on a Community-by-Community basis, all children prenatal to five years of age with a comprehensive, integrated system of early childhood development services." The staff of the Sacramento County Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program located in Del Paso Heights applied for the grant for the purpose of developing community gardens in the area. WIC is an ideal partner because they have access to families with children prenatal to five years of age, although you do not have to be a WIC participant to be eligible for the community garden.

The name of the project is from the children's storybook, Stone Soup. The story is about two strangers bringing together a village by sharing their secret recipe for stone soup while encouraging them to share their food in order to make a wonderful soup together. This grant gives families the opportunity to grow healthy food for their families, teach their children to garden, increase physical activity for their family, meet members of the community, and participate in community education classes. The community education classes are free to everyone and topics range from gardening, nutrition, physical activity, cooking, child development and parenting. All classes are held at the garden sites and times vary, you may contact us for more information.

What started as a vision of 1 community garden has turned into 4 with support from some wonderful partners in the community. There are 2 community gardens up and growing at this time through a partnership with 2 schools in the Grant Union High School District. The first garden is located on the Grant High School Campus with 13 families and the second garden is located on the Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High Campus with 41 families. There are 2 other locations that will hopefully be up and ready to plant soon. One will be found at the back of the Fred Lawson Memorial Garden, supported by the Grant High School students and Mutual Assistance Network. The front portion of the garden will continue to be a memorial rose garden and flower boxes maintained by the Grant High School Students. The final garden is a collaboration with Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT) to develop the lot next to the Big G grocery store facing Grove Street.

For more information about the Stone Soup Community Garden and Education Project you may contact Laurie Green at (916) 641-5590 x 2. For links to other community garden projects and resources please contact the Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition.

[Top]