Articles
Addressing food insecurity utilizing master gardener volunteers in Ohio
Article number
1356_9
Pages
59 – 64
Language
English
Abstract
Food insecurity is a major problem in the United States (US) and in most Ohio counties.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2016 report estimated that 764,000 households reported being food insecure and another 313,000 households reported very low security.
The Ohio State University Extension’s (OSUE) Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program addresses this issue with a variety of programming efforts in communities including classes on raising your own vegetables, community gardens, production vegetable gardens, and the Ohio Victory Garden program.
This paper discusses the programs, the challenges, and the successes.
Sixty-four Ohio counties have an MGV program and all address food insecurity through various programs and projects.
Many have community garden programs in which they are working with individuals and families, teaching them to grow their own vegetables on empty lots in neighborhoods.
A few larger counties such as Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Franklin (Columbus), and Lucas (Toledo) are working with residents to develop urban agriculture programs, growing vegetables on a greater scale.
MGVs also grow vegetables in community and demonstration gardens to be donated to local food banks through the Grow Ohio program.
The Ohio Victory Garden program was developed as a partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture in 2020 to encourage people to grow their own vegetables.
Eight counties participated in 2020 and it was expanded to 25 counties in 2021 and will be expanded to 45 counties in 2022. Packets of three samples of vegetable seed samples were distributed in communities through the MGV program.
In 2020, 2,660 packets were distributed, in 2021, 8,300 packets were distributed and in 2022, plans are to distribute 12,000 packets.
Partners in the community distribution also included schools, health departments, community organizations and community gardens.
A website was developed to provide technical information on growing and using vegetables.
Participants were encouraged to share their successes and challenges on social media using #OhioVictoryGardens.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2016 report estimated that 764,000 households reported being food insecure and another 313,000 households reported very low security.
The Ohio State University Extension’s (OSUE) Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program addresses this issue with a variety of programming efforts in communities including classes on raising your own vegetables, community gardens, production vegetable gardens, and the Ohio Victory Garden program.
This paper discusses the programs, the challenges, and the successes.
Sixty-four Ohio counties have an MGV program and all address food insecurity through various programs and projects.
Many have community garden programs in which they are working with individuals and families, teaching them to grow their own vegetables on empty lots in neighborhoods.
A few larger counties such as Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Franklin (Columbus), and Lucas (Toledo) are working with residents to develop urban agriculture programs, growing vegetables on a greater scale.
MGVs also grow vegetables in community and demonstration gardens to be donated to local food banks through the Grow Ohio program.
The Ohio Victory Garden program was developed as a partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture in 2020 to encourage people to grow their own vegetables.
Eight counties participated in 2020 and it was expanded to 25 counties in 2021 and will be expanded to 45 counties in 2022. Packets of three samples of vegetable seed samples were distributed in communities through the MGV program.
In 2020, 2,660 packets were distributed, in 2021, 8,300 packets were distributed and in 2022, plans are to distribute 12,000 packets.
Partners in the community distribution also included schools, health departments, community organizations and community gardens.
A website was developed to provide technical information on growing and using vegetables.
Participants were encouraged to share their successes and challenges on social media using #OhioVictoryGardens.
Authors
P. Bennett
Keywords
food insecurity, victory garden, vegetable garden, grow Ohio, master gardener volunteer
Groups involved
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Division Sustaining Horticulture in a Changing World
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Working Group Landscape Horticulture
- Working Group Urban Horticulture
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