Carrboro Growing Healthy Kids Project
Yesterday I attended the inaugural meeting of the advisory board of the Carrboro Growing Healthy Kids Project. Sponsored by the Orange County Partnership for Young Children, this is a key component of their Healthy Kids Campaign.
The town has been looking forward to this project since we authorized the community garden at MLK Park last spring. OCPYC is partnering with the Carrboro Community Garden Coalition on the use and development of that space. Discussions are well under way for establishing a second site at Carrboro Elementary School. A third site is intended in the future.
Helping ensure the success of the garden project are representatives of Orange Cty Cooperative Extension, the Botanical Garden, Active Living by Design (which provides technical support under an NC Health & Wellness grant), El Centro Latino, Carrboro Rec&Parks, and others.
The Healthy Kids Project stems from the knowledge that in Orange County one out of every five preschool children and one in every four school age children is overweight.
The garden project seeks to:
-increase access to fresh produce especially for low income families in Carrboro
-educate children about food, gardening, and related topics
-increase healthy eating options
-increase physical activity for participants
-build community.
I am proud to be a supporter of this project, delighted that it has taken root in Carrboro, and look forward to its success. It is exactly the kind of project that people in our community embrace and that make Carrboro a great place to live.
