Healthy Foods Healthy Lives Project Sweetie Pie-Camden Greenhouse Project

From the global to the local level a much-needed transformation of our food systems is slowly but surely underway. A green movement across the nation in terms of horticulture and urban agriculture is on the upswing with local community gardens and school integrated gardens emerging across cities and towns in the country. Many of these efforts have become an agency for community development, bringing communities together, including families and youth, to work on tangible projects in the present that have the potential to change their future. Project Sweetie Pie (PSP) is a non-profit working to addressing food insecurity in North Minneapolis. PSP has been at the forefront of many community garden start ups that provide citizens with fresh produce not found on fast food menus. To date, PSP has started over 25 gardens. In the future they hope to develop season extension practices and provide training opportunities so that kids and adults can learn to grow their own healthy options. The Camden Greenhouse planning project engaged the community in understanding community needs, generating ideas and next steps for moving forward on creating a thriving food hub and for Camden and the North Minneapolis Community.