Community Nutrition, bring Nutritious Foods to the Table
Communities are comprised of several subgroups that make up the many components of a community. Those groups are spiritual-religious, political and social groups just to name a few. In the area of nutrition, economy and social development one group that has heavily influence their community’s outcome in those areas is the Tiger Mountain Foundation. The Tiger Mountain Foundation (TMF) is a garden program that was created by Darren Chapman. The Garden provides more than healthy foods in a food desert environment, it also works with children teaching them vital life skills that contribute to overall personal development.1,2 Many communities throughout neighborhoods in America residents don’t have transportation or access to Super Market.2 The TMF provides fresh produce for many residents who don’t have the means to travel to Super Markets, limiting their access to healthy foods. The Foundation also serves the community in numerous other ways that demonstrates the power of community organizing.
The Foundation has several garden locations throughout the South Mountain Community, on the second and fourth Saturday of the month TMF hosts a garden event at the 18th street location with entertainment, music and a free lunch that’s given to all who attend. On those event days the garden has a small farmers market set up and sells produce on a contribution basis. TMF conducts special garden classes conducted by a master farmer, and holds special events where merit awards are handed out throughout the year. At the Garden on those special days you just might see, your local congressman or a corporate company like USP with a group of employees participating in grooming the garden and enjoying the community festivities.
Mr. Chapman grew up in the area he serves but says he would love to travel across the county helping other establish garden programs for their community. You can find Mr. Chapman’s testimony of how he changed his life through working to build his own community on the Foundations web site Tigermountainfoundation.org.3 He recounts how family and community strengthened him in his early years and how his foundations mission is to build community by reaching out to all fractions of his community. 3
Through the foundation, anyone can purchase a plot of land and grow and sell their bounty at farmer markets and local restaurants.4 You can find Mr. Chapman at the garden focusing on helping all groups prosper in the garden program, however much of his time is spent with the children of the community. Mr. Chapman says that helping the children, learn how to communicate with their customers is an important skill and vital to their success in becoming strong contributors to society.4 While at the farmer market he counsels them to greet customer with a smile, to know their product, to be on time and to pay attention to their appearance, making sure they are neatly dressed.4 Mr. Chapman is teaching social skills that transfers into all elements of life. He believes social skills are needed to help the next generation in his community become leaders.4 He seems to be able to move in and out of different groups with ease. He has the special skills to delivers his message in a colloquial style young people can grasp and appreciate. And also able to explain how the garden operates on an in depth level that may be more appropriate for some of his corporate sponsors. He also strongly believes in the contribution the elderly give to the community and says the garden provides an environment where there can be intergenerational communication.4 The participants are able to sell at markets throughout Phoenix including the market at our ASU Tempe Campus.
The foundation also embraces community members with special needs and those that are transitioning back into the community. 3 On the surface the TMF may appear to be just a community garden program, but in reality it’s a community building project that strengthens lives, provides second chances, and is teaching the next generation to become leaders. The nonprofit foundation is ran by Mr. Chapman who is the CEO of Tiger Mountain and many community volunteers that contribute time and resources to the foundation
I encourage you to support the Tiger Mountain Foundation because it’s a shining example of the power community leadership can bring to a neighborhood. If your place of employment supports local non-profits, tell them about the TMF, and if you would like to get involved you can reach Mr. Chapman by visiting his web site or visiting the garden on 18th St and Broadway, Phoenix AZ on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, you’ll find him there working, laughing and building a better environment for his neighborhood.
The Foundation has several garden locations throughout the South Mountain Community, on the second and fourth Saturday of the month TMF hosts a garden event at the 18th street location with entertainment, music and a free lunch that’s given to all who attend. On those event days the garden has a small farmers market set up and sells produce on a contribution basis. TMF conducts special garden classes conducted by a master farmer, and holds special events where merit awards are handed out throughout the year. At the Garden on those special days you just might see, your local congressman or a corporate company like USP with a group of employees participating in grooming the garden and enjoying the community festivities.
Mr. Chapman grew up in the area he serves but says he would love to travel across the county helping other establish garden programs for their community. You can find Mr. Chapman’s testimony of how he changed his life through working to build his own community on the Foundations web site Tigermountainfoundation.org.3 He recounts how family and community strengthened him in his early years and how his foundations mission is to build community by reaching out to all fractions of his community. 3
Through the foundation, anyone can purchase a plot of land and grow and sell their bounty at farmer markets and local restaurants.4 You can find Mr. Chapman at the garden focusing on helping all groups prosper in the garden program, however much of his time is spent with the children of the community. Mr. Chapman says that helping the children, learn how to communicate with their customers is an important skill and vital to their success in becoming strong contributors to society.4 While at the farmer market he counsels them to greet customer with a smile, to know their product, to be on time and to pay attention to their appearance, making sure they are neatly dressed.4 Mr. Chapman is teaching social skills that transfers into all elements of life. He believes social skills are needed to help the next generation in his community become leaders.4 He seems to be able to move in and out of different groups with ease. He has the special skills to delivers his message in a colloquial style young people can grasp and appreciate. And also able to explain how the garden operates on an in depth level that may be more appropriate for some of his corporate sponsors. He also strongly believes in the contribution the elderly give to the community and says the garden provides an environment where there can be intergenerational communication.4 The participants are able to sell at markets throughout Phoenix including the market at our ASU Tempe Campus.
The foundation also embraces community members with special needs and those that are transitioning back into the community. 3 On the surface the TMF may appear to be just a community garden program, but in reality it’s a community building project that strengthens lives, provides second chances, and is teaching the next generation to become leaders. The nonprofit foundation is ran by Mr. Chapman who is the CEO of Tiger Mountain and many community volunteers that contribute time and resources to the foundation
I encourage you to support the Tiger Mountain Foundation because it’s a shining example of the power community leadership can bring to a neighborhood. If your place of employment supports local non-profits, tell them about the TMF, and if you would like to get involved you can reach Mr. Chapman by visiting his web site or visiting the garden on 18th St and Broadway, Phoenix AZ on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, you’ll find him there working, laughing and building a better environment for his neighborhood.
References
1. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-desert…/go-to-the-locator.aspx
2. Larson N, Story M, Nelson MC. Bring healthy food home examining inequalities in access to food stores. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 2008; 1-7.
3. The Tiger Mountain Foundation http://www.tigermountainfoundation.org/
4. Personal interview with Darren Chapman interviewer, Nancy Peace April 11, 2013