Arkansas

Host Site:

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI) improves children’s health, development and well-being through high-quality research.

Under the guidance of lead investigator Judith Weber, The Delta Garden Study measures the impact of school gardens on childhood obesity, school bonding, and academic achievement in middle school children in Arkansas. The Delta Garden Study is funded by ACHRI and the USDA.

Service Sites:

Across the Delta and Central regions of Arkansas, many people live in poverty––and children suffer the most. Residents of rural areas have less access to fresh fruits and vegetables due to lack of quality grocery stores. In Arkansas, one-third of all children are already overweight by 6th grade, and children of color are most susceptible: 36% of Caucasian children, 41% of African-American children, and 47% of Latino children are either overweight or at-risk.

FoodCorps Service Members are placed in small, rural schools in the eastern half of Arkansas including:

• Highland Middle School
• Monticello Middle School
• Harrisburg Middle School
• Marshall High School

Under the oversight of a Delta Garden Study Garden Program Specialist, Service Members help develop school gardens, implement the DGS educational curriculum, and conduct outreach to local communities.