New University of Northern Iowa program expands community access to fresh-grown vegetables

“There’s a lot of questions on how to be involved in one of the most basic capacities of what it means to be a human and grow food. We’re developing knowledge and desire for that kind of work,” he said.

By Kristin Guess
The Courier
Jun 24, 2021

Excerpt:

It’s called A Garden in Every Lot, a UNI and Green Iowa AmeriCorps program that helps aspiring gardeners start their own home garden at no cost.

“This garden-starter set of services can result in more fruits and vegetables for the people who don’t have access to them or can’t afford them,” said Kamyar Enshayan, director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Education at UNI. “We’re trying to remove barriers so that anyone who wants one can have a garden.”

The program provides new gardeners with site assessment, tilling, mulching and compost, and planting services as part of a multi-year effort by UNI’s CEEE to improve community access to healthy foods.

As temperatures reached the upper 90s last week, Enshayan led a crew of AmeriCorps members to Sperry-Weber’s home on Reber Avenue in Waterloo. AmeriCorps volunteers Felix Navarrete, Kara Grady and Lars Christiason helped dig a new garden spot for Sperry-Weber, who grabbed a rake and got to work as well.

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