Lilah and Annie get ready to share some bok choy, collards and other produce.
by Elizabeth Langgle-Martin, Community Engagement Manager
The Nashville Food Project’s work has long been that of sharing high-quality, fresh food alongside powerful and essential programming in our city to enhance the poverty-interrupting work of nonprofit partners, community organizers, grassroots movements, and others.
In late 2021, thanks to generous funding from Welcoming America’s Resilient Rapid Response Fund, the TNFP team had the opportunity to lean into a new form of community health and care. We leveraged our resources and community connections to increase opportunities for New American communities to access COVID-19 vaccines and health information with intentional language support alongside access to fresh, local produce distribution and other essential services.
Event participants — shared with permission.
Inspired by our long time partnership with Christ Lutheran Church (the site of our Growing Together farm) and its sister congregations, alongside the vibrant community work of Elmahaba Center, we held three community health and COVID-19 vaccine events in South Nashville with deep support from a network of language workers and a number of other service providers. Metro Health’s COVID Vaccine Strike Teams, under the leadership of Tameika Evans and Ebony Harris, provided combinations of testing and vaccine services. Throughout the course of planning and feedback from the represented communities, offerings grew to include diaper support through Nashville Diaper Connection, paper goods through Community Resource Center, children’s items through Elmahaba, and resource and health information through Tennessee Justice Center, Siloam Health’s Community Health Workers, NICE’s Trusted Messengers and so many more.
At the close of our early December event, our team celebrated the 96 vaccines administered throughout these three events. We also shared pounds and pounds of locally grown produce such as thick bundles of collard greens, carrots with leafy tops, a rainbow of peppers, potatoes and beets as well as other herbs and vegetables alongside flats of eggs. Guests to these events represented more than six language groups, with folks sharing greetings and information in Arabic, Swahili, Burmese, Nepali, Spanish, and English. Our favorite moments included neighbors sharing the varied uses of different produce heaped on folding tables and comparing preparation ideas or snagging extra eggs for a neighbor and herbs for their aunt. We also loved the cheers when someone received their first vaccine dose and watching small children race their matchbox cars from Elmahaba Center across the gymnasium floor.
We are excited to continue this work in the new year through an invitation to collaborate with Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), Conexion Americas, NICE, PENCIL, Hispanic Family Foundation, Metro Health and others for another rendition at the TIRRC headquarters on Jan. 8! Make sure to follow along with our partners in this vital and timely work!
Partners with the Tennessee Justice Center were on hand to help with questions about SNAP and TennCare.
Partners with NICE and Siloam Health.
Two of our co-hosts at Christ Lutheran Church, Pastor Esther Godfrey and President of Church Council Mark Miller.