Through the Fellowships you will be working with organizations and public officials

seeking to solve the problems confronting western NY. To zero in on the complexities
involved in problem solving,
Identify and assess a campaign or other work undertaken by an organization in your
cluster designed to solve inequality-related problems, addressing these types of questions:
Community gardens in food deserts to meet critical need of food access
o What are the major causes of the problem?
Areas of the city are food deserts  places in the city where grocery stores will not invest
in the community
o For some getting to the grocery store isn’t errand but whole day affair  one
resident can only go a few times a month
o Why?
 Generalized CAUSES:
 they are typically located in low income areas where people often
do not own a car. While public transportation can assist these
people in some instances, often economic flux has driven grocery
stores out of the city and into the suburbs. Suburban stores are
often so far from the person, they may have to spend most of a day
getting to and from the grocers, not to mention the task of carrying
groceries home from a bus or subway stop. Secondly, food deserts
are socio-economic, meaning they arise in communities of color
combined with low income. Less disposable income combined
with a lack of transportation typically leads to the purchase of fast
foods and processed foods available at the corner store. This leads
to an increase in heart disease, higher incidence of obesity and
diabetes.  Studies show that certain racial groups are
disproportionately affected by obesity. These problems may be
worse in some U.S. communities because access to affordable and
nutritious food is difficult. This is especially true for those living in
low-income communities of color and rural areas with limited
access to supermarkets, grocery stores or other food retailers that
offer the large variety of foods needed for a healthy diet such as
fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fresh dairy and lean meat
products. Instead, individuals in these areas may be more reliant on
convenience stores, fast food or similar retailers, or they may not
have enough money to afford the higher prices. These areas of
limited access are called “food deserts.”
 https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-
to/lifestyle/food-desert-information.htm
 https://necsi.edu/dynamic-urban-food-environments
  Food deserts occur in poor urban areas when there is limited or no access
to healthful, affordable food options, AND low income disproportionately
affected since no access to transportation
 Buffalos east side is considered a food desert  difficult for neighbors to
get healthy and affordable food
 federally recognized "food desert" where current
options are not accessible for the neighborhood
 Ask an inner-city resident of the east or west side where they buy
fruits and vegetables and chances are you’ll be met with a blank
stare. Teens report that their mothers take them on buses to grocery
stores not in their neighborhood, while others point to their
bustling corner store and say, “I buy food here.”Inside the average
corner deli is a hefty array of candies, junk foods, frozen and
canned staples, and perhaps a deli counter making sandwiches. A
recent foray into dozens of inner-city corner shops claiming “full
line grocery” items (there is one every five blocks, on average)
revealed that most have little in the way of unprepared foods. Out
of approximately thirty corner stores, only a scant four sold (sad-
looking) onions and garlic. One in ten will carry lemons, tomatoes,
potatoes, and peppers—of varying degrees of freshness.While
Buffalonians in more affluent neighborhoods pat themselves on the
back for having access to several well-stocked supermarkets and
affordable and international specialty stores, there are vast
stretches of the city without a single place to purchase produce or
other healthful food choices: these areas have been dubbed “food
deserts” by sociologists. Many car-less city dwellers rely on taxis,
an inefficient metro system, and walking to go food shopping,
wrangling children, bags, and patience.
 A lack of healthy options in the city’s east side neighborhoods helps
foster poor eating habits and high rates of certain chronic diseases
 Many of Buffalo’s East Side neighborhoods have long been considered
food deserts, with little or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables
 She also said that part of the issue is that large grocery stores chpose its
locations based on economic factors. That's why high poverty areas are
often food deserts. Grocery stores want to be in a place where there is
more money. “They look at the economic base of the neighborhood,” she
said.
 People don’t have a lot of money for food, will buy whats cheap instead of
produce
o GGWNY’s school gardens (28) are often a source of fresh produce to individuals
and families that have limited fresh fruits and vegetables
o The East Side does not have access to readily accessible healthy foods – it is still
considered a food desert at this point in time. But with the advent of community
 gardens, there are more and more people who have the ability to access the foods
that they require to be healthy. This type of urban gardening and farming is
considered to be “low hanging fruit” when talking about ways to empower the
residents who are looking to access healthier food options. The prospect of a full
fledge market is a heavy lift, which means that there needs to be an interim plan.
These neighborhood gardens are part of that plan.
o FRESH FOOD FELLOWS Program: the program hopes to recruit both from
school programs and within the Delevan-Grider area and on the East Side. They’ll
take classes at the Delevan-Grider Community Center, and then build their own
farm. "They'll actually build their own market garden on Delevan Avenue...as
well as doing internships with the African Heritage Food Co-op and Groundwork
Market Gardens,” Simeti said. Alexander Wright is president of the African
Heritage Food Co-op, and he believes teaching kids can only benefit the future.
"If you're responsible for your own food source, no one can take it away from
you. Also, all of life's lessons are taught in the dirt. You learn that life isn't fair.
You learn about hard work. You learn about working together and co-operative
learning,” Wright said. His co-op is mobile, and seeks to bring fresh produce
market stands to different parts of the East Side. Many East Side neighborhoods
are considered food deserts, meaning they don't have access to fresh food nearby.
Those areas tend to only have corner stores instead.

o Who is being effected?

Those people who live in these areas

o Gardens are located in areas that have struggled with high crime and povertafter
decades of systemic disinvestment
o Refugees and immigrants in Buffalo
o Is your organization working in coalition with other organizations or policymakers?
Grassroots Gardens works with a variety of neighborhood groups such as schools, block
clubs, church, and other non-profit organizations. These partnerships help us coordinate
directly with the surrounding community to build a deep commitment to sustain member-
gardens over time. Our success has been due largely to the tireless efforts of the volunteer
gardeners. By becoming a part of the Grassroots Gardens Network, members have the
opportunity to network with diverse gardeners from all over Western New York, gaining
valuable capacity-building skills and gardening skills along the way. All Grassroots
Gardeners share a common love for their city, a commitment to their neighborhood, and a
belief that through gardening and neighbor-to-neighbor collaboration, they have the
power to make positive change happen. We believe that all people, regardless of social or
economic circumstance, deserve opportunities to engage with the natural environment
around them. The work of our gardeners proves that community gardens can and do
revitalize neighborhoods by building collective food security, increasing cross-cultural
connections, reducing social isolation, and supporting inter-generational relationships
 o If so, who are they? How are they collaborating?
 Work closely with the Buffalo Public School District and Niagara Falls
City School District to create school gardens on their properties or nearby
lots
 They hold master leases with the City of Buffalo and the City of Niagara
Falls to connect community members to vacant land.
 Key participant with Land Trust Alliance on urban policies, important and
vital partnership + membership
Is there an area of Buffalo that is need of gardens? Most people are surprised to
learn that there are actually more Grassroots Gardens on the East Side now than
the West Side of Buffalo, where some of our oldest gardens got started. However,
there are gardens all across the city including in South Buffalo, down on the
waterfront, and in Black Rock-Riverside. The only areas in the city of Buffalo
that lack community gardens are those that lack vacant land: namely Elmwood
Village and North Buffalo/Hertel Avenue area. There are actually more
Grassroots Gardens on the East Side now than the West Side of Buffalo. MAC
Garden with Journey’s End How many local organizations do you work with? We
have an incredible number of partnerships which is a testament to the
collaborative nature of the organization. This past season we worked very closely
with the Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) on our market gardens and
workshops. We also worked with groups like Groundwork Buffalo and Field and
Fork Network to co-create a youth urban agricultural training program called
Fresh Food Fellows. In Niagara Falls, ReNU Niagara and the Western New York
Land Conservancy were major partners in 2018. Our community gardens
managed by Journey’s End Refugee Services will be expanding this year as they
launch a new market garden. I am especially excited for new relationships with
WNY Independent Living and Deaf Access Services this season. Many of our
gardens are managed by block clubs, churches or community centers. Say Yes
Buffalo is a major partner for our programming in the community schools.
*Recent merger of Buffalo and Niagara Falls gardens = looking to test scalability and geographic
range of efforts  room for new / more partnerships

o What strategies are being used to make progress on successive stages of problem
solving?
o Land accreditation
o Strategic Plan 2017-2022
o adding 2 more market gardens, growing outreach and community engagement in
Niagara falls
Partners + Initiatives:
 Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP)  market gardens and workshop
 JBLC  created cookbooks plus identified for community gardens for programming to
raise awareness about the gardens  solve food dessert

o
o What is the solution?
Seeding Resilience:
--------"What Freedom Gardens is doing is looking at gardening as liberation for black
and indigenous people of color – how they can use food for their own security,"
Koncikowski said. "We're trying to empower people to take control over the food they
eat," Wells said. "If we have control over the food we eat, then we might be able to be
healthier. We might be able to make better choices. "City officials and health advocates
have long argued that a lack of grocery stores in city neighborhoods makes it more
difficult for people to buy fresh and healthier food. That often drives people to less-
healthy processed foods. Planting and tending to a garden could help break that cycle,
Wells said. "You save money if you grow your own food. You can spend money on other
things instead of spending money on food. You might have more money for a better place
to live. You might be able to open up a savings account," Wells said. Not only are there
health and economic benefits to gardening and interacting with nature, there is a
psychological benefit, Wells said. For example, she added, there are apps that play nature
sounds like birds in the trees or water running in a brook to bring down stress levels.
o Is it targeted at specific authorities?
 What have been the barriers to progress?
 Barriers:  Buffalo-Niagara redevelopment will come at the loss of green
space and gentrification  Solution: becoming an accredited land trust =
properties that will be owned by GGWNY for perpetuity on behalf of the
community  Barriers: Have only been able to purchase two properties
 Barriers: FUNDING  development pressure puts gardens without long
term leases in perilous situations, gardens often viewed as expendable in
other communities when real estate investment increases
 Many gardening orgs are transitioning to plot-based model of
gardening where individuals pay an annual fee for access to the
garden but Grassroots doesn’t believed this aligns with goals of
revitalization and community building, or local needs of the
region grassroots will continue to be community driven
community-run gardens
 Transitioning from lease holding to purchasing properties, move to
land ownership: WILL pursue Land Trust Alliance standards and
accreditation
o Difficult to reach these standards: new requirement added
for accreditation = $50K legal defense fund  required to
raise these funds
 o ****majority of gardens will remain leased properties
however  solidify and strengthen lease arrangement in
municipalities where gardens located
o Each season they supply $10k in lumber, $10k in soil,
&12k in seeds  where does this come from? Fundraising,
DIFFICULT, NOT SUSTAINABLE
 Barriers: misconceptions about the organization  need to grow
neighborhood interest in joining and supporting existing gardens while
growing interest in starting new gardens by spreading awareness about the
organization + its resources, expand messaging and outreach
 Barriers: ONLY 3 STAFF  hard to manage + The challenge is that it is hard
to find funding for general operating support. We are working on increasing our
fundraising and public support so that we can be less dependent on grants over time.

Reference readings from the course, but also communicate with your assigned organization
about its work.
o What readings from class to include:
o A City Divided: A Brief History of Segregation in Buffalo
 Sixth most racially segregated metropolitan area in the nation, those
livingin segregated neighborhoods don’t benefit from economic
development efforts
 85% of black in buffalo liv east of main street
 Effects of redlining still felt, to this day nonwhite neighborhoods
receive less access to credit, fewer bank branches, etc.
o Shortchanged: Racial Disparities in NY’s Economic Development Programs
 Areas with higher concentration of people of color are awarded less than
fair share of development funds, 90% of regional council directors are
white = conflict of interest
 Regional council competitions have shortchanged communities of
color dd
 SOLVE: invest in public goods i.e. public transit
o PPG Community Agenda 2020
 Goals: expand and improve public transportation through revenues from
carbon tax AND establish good food purchasing public schools  align
public with public values
o
Sources:
o GGWNY Website
o https://www.buffalorising.com/2018/10/a-neighborhood-garden-blooms-at-moot-community-
center/
 o https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/health/new-urban-farming-program-hopes-to-tap-
youth/71-522763133
o https://www.buffalorising.com/2018/11/whats-in-store-for-grassroots-gardens-wny-and-how-
we-can-all-help/
o https://www.arts.gov/NEARTS/2018v2-community-art-look-public-art-america/nourishing-
community
o https://buffalonews.com/2020/05/08/garden-advocates-want-residents-to-get-their-hands-
dirty-in-the-name-of-better-health/
o https://www.buffalorising.com/2019/03/grassroots-gardens-hopes-to-be-first-accredited-
community-garden-land-trust-in-the-country/
o https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/45014/30940_err140.pdf

Ashton O’Connor
ILRLR 3052
15 May 2020
Writing Assignment #2
Many Americans are accustomed to weekly grocery store runs as just another errand,
however for many people living in Buffalo’s east side, getting to a grocery store is so difficult
that it can only be done every few months. While Buffalonians living in affluent neighborhoods
are spoiled with plentiful access to supermarkets and specialty stores, there are vast stretches of
the city without a single place to purchase fresh produce or healthy food options. This forces
many inner-city residents to take buses to grocery stores outside of their neighborhoods in order
to just buy fresh produce or simply go without it and resort to sourcing food from their local
corner stores, where the options often consist of candy, junk food, or frozen meals. The blatant
lack of grocery stores and affordable, healthy food in Buffalo has led the region to become
federally recognized as a “food desert”—coined by sociologist as urban an area in which it is
difficult to buy affordable and quality fresh food. These deserts occur in poor, urban
communities of color that have been affected by decades of systemic disinvestment which has
driven profit-oriented grocery stores out of the cities and into the more affluent suburbs.
Moreover, the lack of affordable and accessible food options disproportionately affects low-
income families, who often don’t own a car and are forced to rely on Buffalo’s poor public
transit system to reach the nearest grocery store—a whole day affair for those whose livelihoods
don’t allow for them to miss a day travelling to obtain fresh food. Thus, many are forced to
instead purchase fast or processed food, which has contributed to Buffalo’s horrendous eating
habits and high rates of chronic disease. EXPAND ON BUFFALOS HEALTH ISSUES.
However the community organization Grassroots Gardens is changing all of this with their over
100 community gardens spread throughout the Buffalo and Niagara area.
Grassroots Gardens’ 28 school gardens that serve as a source of fresh produce to students
and their families along with their other community gardens throughout the region and have
empowered Buffalonians in these food deserts to access healthier food options. Community
gardens around the nation have increasingly shifted to pay-to-use models where community
members as required to pay an annual fee for access to the gardens. By continuing to operate as a
free, community-driven, and community-run garden, Grassroots Gardens has employed a
number of initiatives and partnered with a variety of community organizations, schools, and
policymaking institutions to overcome their lack of capital in helping address these deserts.
Grassroots Gardens most current and pressing goal is to achieve land trust accreditation.
While the Buffalo-Niagara area has undergone massive redevelopment, much of this comes at
the cost of green space; Grassroots Gardens has made the decision to combat this by moving
from a lease-holding agency to a landowning organization and permanently own land on behalf
of the community through becoming an accredited land trust. A recent evaluation of land trusts
found that “they have significantly bigger budgets, more staff and volunteers, and 8 times more
money invested to steward and defend their conservation lands than their peers of similar size—
they also save 3 times more land” (GGWNY WEBSITE), thus achieving land trust accreditation
would help Grassroots overcome many of its funding issues that limit the amount of impact they
can create. Their partnership with the Land Trust Alliance has proven invaluable during this
process. Grassroots is currently in the process of identifying which gardens are most at risk of
development and therefore most in need of accreditation, and through its membership in the
Land Trust Alliance, they have gained valuable insight into this process and have made massive
gains towards there goal, having recently purchased their first two land trust properties.
However, there have been barriers to success in this area. Most notably, the Land Trust Alliance
added a new requirement of “a $50,000 legal-defense fund” for accreditation. This amount has
proven very difficult to raise, as Grassroots is already heavily reliant on community fundraising
for financing their operations.
Partners + Initiatives:
• Groundwork Bufallo and Field & Fork Network  Fresh food fellows program (urban
agricultural training program)
• Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP)  market gardens and workshop
• Work closely with Buffalo Public School District and Niagara Falls City School Districts
Say Yes Buffalo is major partner for programming in the community schools
• Partnership + membership with land trust alliance  land trust accreditation
• JBLC  created cookbooks plus identified for community gardens for programming to
raise awareness about the gardens  solve food dessert
• Initiative: Specific Safe Roots series for refugees and immigrants