An Access in Foods, Inc. is a registered 501 (c) (3) charity organization whose sole purpose is to serve economically disadvantaged persons through nutrition education. An Access in Foods is currently involved in several initiatives that work to improve access to healthy and nutritious foods in underserved populations. One such initiative is the Green Eggs Project which was developed to engage at-
risk youth in agricultural activities at Hanover Vegetable Farm. Participating youth were given hands-on instruction in the rearing of chickens. This activity program was designed to give youth an opportunity to witness the life cycle of a chicken from egg to maturity, while learning proper upkeep and maintenance of livestock. Students involved in the program, also had an opportunity to sell the eggs that they collected from the hens at local farmer’s markets. Through this experience, students will be able to apply the entrepreneurial skills learned in future business endeavors. An Access in Foods has also partnered with various organizations such as Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) and Re:New Richmond, in order to help educate low-income communities and increase access to affordable and healthy foods through the production of community gardens in Southside communities of Richmond, VA. Environmental aspects such as an abundance of food services offering meals that are low in nutritional value but high in sodium, sugar and fat, have attributed to the prevalence of health disparities in lower-income communities. Richmond has a low-income obesity rate of 15% compared to the state average of 18%, with more than 267,000 children between the age of 10 and 17 considered overweight or obese in the State of Virginia. In collaboration with RBHA and Re:New Richmond, An Access in Foods has helped revitalize an inactive greenhouse and develop a community garden on the grounds of G.H. Through the collaborative effort, the Reid Garden-Greenhouse Project has successfully engaged more than 600 community members in healthy alternatives through events, trainings, and educational workshops.
