With support and partnership from community and faith-based organizations, Mecklenburg County works to establish edible landscapes (community gardens and orchards) that provide fresh fruit and vegetables to people in food insecure neighborhoods. The edible landscapes produce plums, figs, pears, peaches, blueberries, and persimmons, in addition to seasonal herbs and vegetables like squash, string beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Community members harvest and process the produce and then distribute it to communities directly or through food pantries. Their efforts supply fresh, nutritious food to thousands of people in Mecklenburg County.
Anyone who wishes to volunteer or take advantage of the Edible Landscapes program should contact and work with the locations for edible landscapes listed below.
Locations
Another Chance House of Refuge
1818 Kennesaw Drive
Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center
2921 Tuckaseegee Road
Bread of Life Deliverance Church
1245 Tom Hunter Road
Chapel of Christ The King Church
425 East 17th Street
Faith CME Church457 Wellingford Street | View photos of the dedication in April 2021
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
3400 Beatties Ford Road
Galilee Center
3601 Central Avenue
Grier Heights Community Center
3100 Leroy Street
Martin Luther King MIddle School
500 Bilmark Avenue
Moore's Sanctuary AME Zion Church
4101 Morris Field Drive
Northridge Middle School
7601 The Plaza | View photos of installation in May 2021
Reeder Memorial Baptist Church
3725 Beatties Ford Road
Rockwell AME Zion Church
6101 Rockwell Church Road
Pine Valley Neighborhood Park
2422 Longleaf Drive
Shiloh Institutional Baptist Church
2400 Greenland Avenue | View photos of installation in June 2021
Sugaw Creek Recreation Center
943 West Sugar Creek Road
Woods Friendly Community Garden
9415 Monarda Court
Community Partners
How the Edible Landscapes Work
The Edible Landscapes program is the brainchild of health policy coordinator Reggie Singleton, who works with faith and community partners to establish the edible landscapes.
Video on Edible Landscapes
Awards and Recognitions
The National Association of Counties (NACo) awarded the Edible Landscapes program an
Achievement Award in the Health category in 2019. The program was cited as an example of how community representatives and food security stakeholders work together to address public health priorities. This effort successfully improves access to fresh produce and demonstrates that edible landscapes can be part of a multi-level approach to improving the availability of healthy foods.
Learn More
For more information, contact Reggie Singleton at
reggie.singleton@MeckNC.gov or 980-314-9485.
HealthDepartment/CommunityHealthServices/FoodSecurity/Pages/Edible-Landscapes.aspx