Inter-generational Gardening Soul to Soul was created to bring youth, adult leaders, and seniors together to construct and maintain vegetable gardens at the seniors’ home. Youth participants range in age from 12-17, adult leaders are 18 and over, and seniors 65+.

The program has the following goals:

• Forge connections between seniors and youth in the African American community.
• Increase physical activity for youth and seniors.
• Improve access to fresh produce for seniors.
• Create opportunities for youth to gain financial literacy skills through classes designed to help youth manage stipends they receive for participation in the program.
• Create opportunities for youth to learn about food sovereignty and environmental justice, including the history of Black gardens and gardening traditions.

Inter-generational Gardening Soul to Soul launched in 2019 after being selected by Dell Medical School’s Community Driven-Initiatives, Call for Ideas program. In June 2018, the program was one of five ideas out of 113 submissions selected for project development. The first gardens were planted in the spring of 2019. In 2020, AAAHCT received funding from St. David’s Foundation to continue this program.

To learn more or find out how you can participate, contact Genice Harris, Program Manager, genice.harris@aaahct.org, (210) 701-0723.