June 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 49

Within the first year of the grant project,
Peoria Grown increased its sales of fruits
and vegetables by more than 10 percent.
ity and visibility of the program.
Thanks in part to funding
from the NRPA grant, the partners
have been able to establish
a 3,000-square-foot market at
Trewyn Park where they can implement
new storage, such as a
commercial refrigerator, and expand
available offerings. In addition
to bringing affordable and
healthy food options back to these
Peoria neighborhoods, the market
serves as a Community Wellness
Hub location where patrons
can access nutrition education,
socialize, participate in physical
activity, and connect with other
community partners in the fields
of healthcare, wellness, recreation
and more.
" We are also excited to collaborate
to provide workforce development
opportunities in partnership
with Peoria Grown to increase
capacity of these residents to secure
stabilizing employment, " says
Executive Director of Peoria Park
District Emily Cahill in a letter of
support of Peoria Grown's grant
application. " Our district
is able
and willing to assign interns to the
program and may be able to support
additional youth employment
opportunities as grant funds allow. "
Project Goals and
Outcomes
Within the first year of the grant
project, Peoria Grown increased
its sales of fruits and vegetables by
more than 10 percent and SNAP
redemption by a similar amount.
" One significant happening over
the past six months is hiring our
first part-time dietitian. In her role,
she is educating the community on
how to prepare healthy, and culturally
relevant, foods, " says Eliathamby.
" Since February 2023,
she has held 43 cooking classes
to almost 200 participants. " The
organization also embodied the
Community Wellness Hub model
by expanding partnerships with
healthcare and community partners,
who refer patients to the market
through a FoodRx program.
In the coming year, Peoria
Grown hopes to purchase more of
its fresh produce - upwards of 40
percent - from local farmers and
community gardeners who prioritize
equity and cultural diversity.
The organization also plans to increase
SNAP usage by an additional
20 percent, as well as implement
a mobile market program that will
center Peoria's most food insecure
communities.
" Overall, we strongly value feedback
from our customers. We listen
to our customers and make changes
based on their experiences, " Eliathamby
explains. " Changes range
from the flow of the market to
practical and affordable pricing in
a time of significant inflation. "
As this program sees continued
success, Peoria Grown plans to
expand the Community Wellness
Hub model by pursuing partnerships
with the local health department
and community healthcare
providers to further address social
determinants of health, establish a
market within a community health
clinic location, and expand the
FoodRx program to increase the
number of
vouchers physicians
provide to patients.
" The Peoria Park District relies
on public-private partnerships to
help us move towards our mission
of improving health and wellness,
as well as vibrancy, in our diverse
community. It has been an honor to
be able to support groups like Peoria
Grown as they bring their expertise
and passion to the community
in our spaces and places, " says
Cahill. " Their success is wonderful
to see and we look forward to continuing
to support their growth and
influence in the community. "
Lindsay Collins is Managing Editor of Parks & Recreation
magazine (lcollins@nrpa.org). Maureen Neumann is Senior
Program Manager at NRPA (mneumann@nrpa.org).
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | JUNE 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
49
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEORIA GROWN
June 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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