Hydroponics and Outdoor Urban Agriculture Planned for Southeast Raleigh

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After two large grocery stores closed in Southeast Raleigh, North Carolina in 2012, the community became an official USDA-designated food deserts: a low income area without a full-service grocery store within a mile radius. Since then, the community has been brainstorming how they can bring healthy, fresh food back into this neighborhood.

Voices into Action: The Families, Food and Health Project is a USDA-funded initiative of North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension that aims to increase access to healthy food and places to exercise in Southeast Raleigh. The group recently gave out 10 mini-grants to groups that proposed creative solutions to combat the community’s low access to healthy foods.

16 individuals, school, faith communities and organizations applied for the Voices into Action mini-grant of up to $2,000.  North Carolina Fair Share CDC was among the winners.

NC Fair Share CDC will be creating a large, sustainable urban outdoor grow system, as well as an indoor hydroponics grow system, where youth and community members will learn about sustainable agricultural practices. The project will also establish a farmers market, using the fish and produce raised through the established grow systems, that will be managed by Southeast Raleigh community youth and supported by community partners.

Read about the other great projects funded with the mini-grants.

Read a Salud Hero story about a California school that built an aquaponics garden to grow fresh veggies to give to their community.