Three years ago, Jorge Palacios, David Roper and Josh Placeres came together with a shared vision to make a better world for communities of color in Miami. They wanted to create a space where Black and Brown families can access fresh produce and learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Borne of their own social justice and community activism, the trio cultivated a food movement by transforming an empty land lot into a lush community garden in the heart of the historically Black Overtown neighborhood. Carrots, eggplant, garlic chive, kale, cranberry hibiscus, papaya, Thai basil, and moringa are in abundance for a community that has limited fresh produce options.   The three launched the Green Haven Project in 2019, to expand their efforts.

In partnership with various community-based organizations and local school districts, they’ve broken ground on five community gardens in neighborhoods throughout South Florida that have been designated food deserts. These are areas where the residents have limited access to healthy, affordable food like fresh produce.

“We’re seeing a lot of success from the amount of food we’ve been able to grow to the different organizations we’re collaborating with now,” Palacios says.

Outside of produce, Green Haven is also offering residents opportunities to learn about the health benefits of the food they’re growing. They host health and food workshops and outdoor fairs like “Plant Day.” They also launched a separate food pantry, providing an assortment of healthy food options. “People recognize our space as a resource hub,” Palacios says.

Read the full article about community gardens by Monée Fields-White at Shareable.