Today, in celebration of World Health Day, Mayor John Cooper announced a partnership agreement between Metro Parks Department and The Nashville Food Project to provide long term tenure for the organization’s community garden programs at the Mill Ridge Park in Antioch.
If the license agreement is approved by the Metro Council, then the new five-year agreement would allow for the park to be used by The Nashville Food Project, a local non-profit dedicated to ensuring all people have access to the food they want and need, to develop and operate community gardens and education. This agreement also allows for the sale of produce to benefit The Nashville Food Project’s program participants.
The theme of World Health Day 2022 is clean air, water, land and access to food.
“Over 16% of Middle Tennessee residents suffer from food insecurity. Studies have shown that food insecurity is often linked to other public health and community challenges facing our city, such as homelessness,” said Mayor John Cooper. “Too many families are forced to choose whether to pay for housing or adequate access to food. We can and must do more to address both issues, and I’m proud to partner with The Nashville Food Project to take this small step toward addressing food insecurity in Nashville, particularly on World Health Day.”
Mayor Cooper’s Administration continues to prioritize sustainable and equitable access to parks for families across the city. Better access to parks can lead to a healthier population, and a better quality of life for Nashvillians.
“The Metro Parks department is dedicated to providing programming and services that meet the needs of our constituents in an equitable and sustainable manner. This agreement with The Nashville Food Project, a long-time partner with the department, will allow us to build capacity and address food insecurity while benefiting the environment as well as the local community,” said Metro Parks Director Monique Horton Odom.
The Nashville Food Project works to address food insecurity and provides food access across the city. One in seven Nashvillians do not have access to the food they want and need. The Food Project’s community garden programs support families in growing their own food by providing land, resources and education. In 2021, the organization worked with more than 70 families in its community gardens across the city. Beyond expanding access to food, The Nashville Food Project’s gardens enhance community health and provide environmental benefits through their use of regenerative agriculture practices.
“We are excited to partner with Metro Parks Department at Mill Ridge Park to continue our community garden programs in support of the Antioch community. We hope our approach here serves as a model for other local organizations that may benefit from utilizing park lands for agriculture and other community health needs,” said CJ Sentell, CEO of The Nashville Food Project.
The license agreement includes a 60-month term between all parties and provides the option of a longer term agreement.