The Cabbage Patch Settlement House works to break the cycle of poverty in Louisville communities by engaging at-risk youth and their families in recreation/youth development, education and social resources. It engages those it serves in a variety of programs, including the Seed to Table Gardening and Nutrition Program.
This program addresses the lack of access to fresh, healthy food experienced by families in impoverished neighborhoods. It offers hands-on training in the areas of urban gardening, cooking and nutrition. Long time volunteers, one of whom has a Master Gardener certification, incorporate lessons about math, sustainability and safety while teaching children to follow the directions of recipes.
According to Greater Louisville Project, Louisville currently ranks 10th among its peers in households living in a food desert, with 3.56% of households living in a food desert. The Seed to Table program addresses this issue by teaching children how to grow and cook their own food. When young people are involved in this process, they feel a sense of ownership and pride and are more interested in trying healthy produce instead of fast food or packaged convenience foods. By establishing good eating habits early in life, Seed to Table aims to prevent long term health issues created by poor nutrition, such as diabetes and hypertension. This year Cabbage Patch will introduce a Pollinator Garden and Rain Garden to the program.
The Norton Foundation has seen how excited the children are when they engage with the program. That makes it an easy decision to support Cabbage Patch.