Rachel Emmer

Contact Rachel Emmer

Big Idea

Residents of low-income housing typically have limited access to fresh, nutritious foods. Low-income neighborhoods often have an abundance of convenience stores, liquor stores and fast food chains but a scarcity of markets that sell fresh produce. The most effective way to build confidence in gardening and healthy eating among these residents is to give them the skills to do so in their own communities.

I want to create a nonprofit in Colorado called Section Eat (a play on words of “Section 8,” a federal housing assistance program). The new organization would host interactive community meetings to identify perceptions of and barriers to gardening and healthy eating among residents. These inclusive sessions will better inform our process and identify key stakeholders. With these components in place, the organization can prepare to build a nationally replicable model.

About Rachel Emmer

I have a master’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis on sustainability, food and agriculture. Recently, while helping to renovate a vacant home in a low-income neighborhood, I met families who were willing to share their diet and health concerns with me. One multigenerational family expressed the frustration of knowing they should eat better yet felt they couldn’t afford fresh vegetables and lacked preparation skills.

During that summer we planted a small garden. The children loved gardening and eating the bounty. One mother saw an opportunity to sell surplus produce. The experience touched me. The inspiration for Section Eat comes from the families themselves.