1. Keeping healthy food available
Healthy eating is one of the basic principles of good health,
but residents can only choose to eat healthy when nutritious
foods are available.
In a 2015 poll from the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross
and Blue Shield of Minnesota, almost half of Minnesotans say
that not having a store that sells healthy foods near them plays
a role in their healthy food choices. Almost three quarters of those polled said they did not have nutritious
“on-the-go” options to eat healthier.
Living Healthy in Washington County is partnering with local organizations to try and bring more
convenient and affordable access to healthy foods in neighborhoods throughout the county.
Living Healthy in Washington County is a program of the Washington County
Department of Public Health and Environment. It is supported by the
Statewide Health Improvement Program, Minnesota Department of Health.
2015 Projects and partners
HUGO The Hugo Good Neighbors food shelf is undergoing a redesign to help
provide more fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
STILLWATER Canvas Health has added a community garden for individuals
who were previously homeless, have serious and persistent mental illness and/or a
chemical health diagnosis.
STILLWATER Our Community Kitchen has added on to their community garden
to help engage students at its Head Start program with fruits and vegetables and
to encourage them to eat the foods they grow.
STILLWATER Valley Outreach is expanding their Mobile Choice and Nutrition
Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS) programs to deliver more fresh produce
than ever before to participants.
LAKE ELMO Our Community Food Project added a children’s garden at
Cimarron Mobile Home Community and allowed participants to pay for market
stand produce with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
WOODBURY New Life Church in Woodbury is redesigning their community food
pantry to allow greater access to fruits and vegetables.
COTTAGE GROVE The City of Cottage Grove has partnered with Pine Hill
Elementary to bring aeroponic growing to the classroom, teaching students about
agriculture and the importance of good nutrition.
COTTAGE GROVE South Washington County Schools piloted a weekend food
pack program to provide ready-to-eat food for homeless youth and students in
need.
651-430-6655 | TTY 651-430-6246 | PHE@co.washington.mn.us | www.livinghealthywc.org
10/2015

2. Growing enthusiasm for fruits and vegetables
Living Healthy in Washington County is a program of the Washington County
Department of Public Health and Environment. It is supported by the
Statewide Health Improvement Program, Minnesota Department of Health.
“I love tomatoes! Can I have some tomatoes?”
These words, from eleven-year-old Brittani, were echoed by her friends
Emily and Eva as they walked through the children’s garden at Cimarron
Mobile Home Community. They were gathering produce to take home
for themselves and their families. It was produce they helped plant,
transplant, and harvest.
The children’s garden, the newest addition to an existing teen garden
and community garden, is led by Our Community Food Project in
partnership with FamilyMeans and Living Healthy in Washington County.
The garden’s facilitator, Ann DeLaVergne, said the project is a way to help
show children how fruits and vegetables are grown and introduce them to
agriculture.
In addition, the children’s garden allows those who participate to take
home fruits and vegetables to their families, something they love to do. “The kids are unabashed about
wanting to take produce home,” said Ann.
Eight-year-old Emily takes a lot of vegetables home: beans, cabbage, peas, kale, cucumbers, and more.
“Sometimes the bag almost breaks,” she
said.
When the young gardeners get older,
their interest in agriculture could turn into
a job opportunity close to home. The
teen garden at Cimarron runs a farmers
market stand every week and sells CSA
(Community Supported Agriculture) shares
for those who are interested in purchasing
their organically grown produce.
The children’s garden group meets once
each week and their meetings focus on
age-appropriate gardening tasks such as
planting, transplanting, and harvesting the
produce.
Emily said she wants to pull some of the
carrots from the ground and eat them, “but they’re not ready yet, so they won’t let me.”
651-430-6655 | TTY 651-430-6246 | PHE@co.washington.mn.us | www.livinghealthywc.org
10/2015