TAMPA- After the tragic death of a 6-year-old boy, Harvest Hope Park was born with the hope of not only unifying a community but to change the way of life in that area, and save the community from gentrification.
Harvest Hope Park is a project funded by the University Area Development Corporation which is a public/private partnership whose mission is to help at-risk areas around the University of South Florida. The program is responsible for a 50,000 square foot state of the art community center complex as well as a 28-acre campus that contains an elementary school. With over $80 million in construction development happening around the area UACDC plans for a brighter future for the area.
Harvest Hope Park consists of a sports field, playground, organic community garden, fish pond, Hope center, fitness station, and butterfly garden. The park is managed mostly by volunteers from within the community which helps bring the people of the area together.
“The community wasn’t too trustworthy of each other before the project had begun,” said UACDC publicist Leslie Farrell. “After the park and garden were constructed you could really see how the community has come together and really built a bond.”
In fact, according to a study by Charles C. Branas, chair of the epidemiology department at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, along with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, on the effects of greening vacant lots on violent crime have shown that green spaces such as community gardens are a great way to reduce violence in neighborhoods as well as increase mental health through social interactions.
“We have a community safety action plan it is about 160-page report that we have done by professional analysts who give us recommendations on how to make the areas safer… we work on territorial projects, getting better sidewalks and lighting, sewer and water needs as well as free access to literacy through dream boxes,” said Deputy Director of Operations for Harvest Hope Park, Erica Nelson. “We just want to keep this area nice, safe, and beautiful for the community.”
The community garden is not only a vital part of the park but the community. Most residents in the area do not have access to fresh and healthy food options, so an organic garden will allow the residents to grow their own healthy food as well as cook it there if needed.
“This community is in food desert which means in a two-mile radius there is no access to any healthy food, but at the same time, we are in a food swamp which means we are saturated with fast food options that have a lot of preservatives… where you live in your zip code can determine you long term health outcomes,” said Nelson.
According to VeryWellHealth food deserts are defined as, “food deserts are generally considered to be places where residents don’t have access to affordable nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Instead of grocery stores or farmers markets, these areas often have convenience stores and gas stations with limited shelf space available for healthy options—making nutritious foods virtually inaccessible for many families there.”
An important aspect of the Harvest Hope Project is that it remains community-driven.
“Every two years we have our community needs assessment it drives what the community wants…We have a board of community leaders that helps drive our decisions we have a lot of different programs, such as prodigy programs, steps for success, and get moving health and wellness programs,” said Nelson.
For additional information about Harvest Hope Park, visit their website here for events and more.
