Nearly 50 percent of park and rec agencies offer community gardens
Ashburn, Va. (May 2, 2018) — According to a recent poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), nearly all Americans think it’s valuable for children to have access to community gardens where they can learn more about where food comes from. Community gardens (and access to healthy food in general) are also important in the fight against childhood obesity and in building a sense of community.
More than 3 in 4 Americans think children’s access to community gardens is very or extremely valuable. Among those who believe children’s access to community gardens is very or extremely valuable, millennials (81 percent), African-Americans (80 percent), women (80 percent) and parents (80 percent) feel the strongest.
“Providing children access to community gardens is increasingly important — especially in areas where access to healthy food is limited,” said Barbara Tulipane, NRPA president and CEO. “Anyone interested in participating in a community garden should contact their local park and rec department where there are opportunities for everyone.”
Nearly 50 percent of park and rec agencies nationwide offer community gardens. These agencies play an important role in providing access to healthy food, as well. NRPA is proud to support these efforts through its Commit to Health program, which supports the implementation of Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards at park and rec agencies across the country. Now in its fourth year, the program includes a Commit to Health: Foods of the Month nutrition literacy curriculum that is used to encourage communities to eat healthy.
This poll is part of NRPA’s Park Pulse, a continuing series of monthly surveys that gauge the public’s opinion on topics relating to parks and recreation. To explore previous Park Pulse survey results, visit www.nrpa.org/Park-Pulse.
To view the interactive charts with the survey results, click here.
To view the full-size infographic, click here.
To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.
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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.