When Corine Newsome tends to a garden, she nourishes the plants with more than just water and good soil. She also uses positive affirmations.
“I told them, ‘You’re gonna be beautiful, you’re gonna be gorgeous,’ ” Newsome says, chuckling.
She realizes it can look ridiculous to see someone talking to plants, but she swears it changes how they grow. “Once I saw the difference, from that point on, I’m out here talking to all the plants in the garden,” she says.
Newsome is the garden director at the South Florida-based nonprofit Health in the Hood. In the same way she offers encouragement to her plants, Health in the Hood offers positivity to its community so it can thrive and grow.
Health in the Hood aims to connect people and boost wellness by establishing urban vegetable farms and offering nutrition education. The group gives away what it grows to its neighbors, who reside in food deserts in Miami-Dade County.
“We have three or four corner stores, two liquor stores that are available for immediate shopping, but there aren’t quality vegetables there,” Newsome says. “Our mission is to get the communities involved in eating better.”
ADT recently donated $40,000 to Health in the Hood as part of the ADT Safe Places program, which aims to create a world where everyone feels safe.
People who live in food deserts often experience food insecurity, which means they have a low quality, quantity and variety of foods readily available. “One of the biggest problems with food-insecure communities is there’s usually a lot of health conditions,” Newsome says. “We’re giving them the resources, the education and the produce to make better choices.”
Health in the Hood plans to use ADT’s donation to create barriers in the gardens to deter pests and create signs labeling the plants with their nutritional information. “That will give us the opportunity to bring wellness on an everyday basis,” Newsome says. “When they are browsing, garden visitors will have the opportunity to be educated.”
A volunteer gardener who goes by the nickname Miss Cookie says what she’s learned has changed the way she lives. “I’m eating something that’s good for my body,” she says. “You don’t have to worry about what you put in your mouth because you know it is something healthy.”
Health in the Hood has a robust group of volunteers helping to fulfill its mission. “Every week we receive more volunteers,” says Troy Lyons, a gardener at Health in the Hood. “Word of mouth has traveled to the point where the gates open, they’re coming. Kids all the way to seniors enjoy the garden, help us maintain it, and at the same time, enjoy the fruits of their labor. I love it because it helps you meet people that you wouldn’t through your day-to-day.”
As the garden director, Newsome is focused on ensuring a bountiful harvest to share with those in need. But, to her, it is about more than just food.
“This is not about working. It’s about community. And I think the biggest part of community is the connection,” she says. “Once you’re here in the garden, you’re not a stranger; you’re family.”
ADT is proud to be part of Health in the Hood’s family and support its mission to provide sustainable and equal food access for all. Click here to learn more about ADT’s Safe Places program.