ECCHO Program of Rock County
Our Project: How Does Your Garden Grow
Our Goal: be a place where community members of all abilities can build friendships and promote health, well- being and sustainability through gardening
Life begins the day you start a garden! - Chinese Proverb
We are working to create inclusive community gardening that bridges the gap between generations in healthy living
and growing your own food. We address food deserts, strengthening community bonds, supporting local food production, and educating others on the benefits of healthy eating.
Benefits of Community Gardening:
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Reduce risk of obesity & obesity-related diseases
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Lower blood pressure, decreases heart rate, & changes cortisol levels
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Improve mental health & promote relaxation
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Exposure to Vitamin D increasing calcium level which benefit bones & immune system
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Help improve air & soil quality
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Community gardens are positively correlated with decreased crime rates
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Improve economic opportunities by training volunteers & seeling food at Farmers' Markets
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Help improve air & soil quality
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Reduce "food miles" that are required to transport nutritious foods
2024 Cohort
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Veronica Hereford, ECCHO Rock County Local Program Coordinator
Veronica Hereford (she, her, hers) is a doula, child-birth educator, social worker and committed to the health of all women. She is currently working on completing a Social Work Masters at University of Wisconsin Whitewater. She completed her under graduate work in Human Services and Psychology and a Masters in Public Administration at Upper Iowa University. She is devoted to ending the disparity that exists in birth outcomes for Black and Indigenous Women of Color.
(608) 601-9290