Principal, Environmental Science
STANTEC
FOCUS
I work for a for-profit environmental and engineering consulting firm. I am looking for innovative, out of the box solutions developed through cross-sector collaboration.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE: Phoenix Nutritious Home Gardens & Farmers Co-op
There are 43 food deserts in the city of Phoenix, and 52 percent of the $1.6 million population and the majority of low-income households live more than a mile from a grocery store or affordable healthy food store. Despite the efforts of the city to address the situation, in the last three years, little has changed. One neighborhood urban farm has been started next to an area that was already used for community gardens, an existing community garden using in-ground growing in contaminated soil was transitioned to above ground food production, and a food hub has been able to plant some produce. Using RWJF funding, the following will be implemented to address this situation: a backyard gardening program with free seeds and instructions, a facility that will serve as a dual-function food warehouse-grocery store, and a public education campaign in Phoenix school districts.