Neighborhood Resource Gardens: Cultivating Well-being, Resiliency & Beauty

Green Space, Park Access, and Trees

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike." - John Muir Only 64% of LA Residents live within a 10 minute walk of a park - Trust for Public Land. LA City's Resilient LA Plan recommends every neighborhood have a resilience hub that provides "tools & training", connects community leaders and leverages organizational networks in cases of emergency. Although hundreds of LA organizations are dedicated to education, environment, gardens, public health, safety, social welfare, and water with related projects, programs and locations, systemic overlaps, gaps and lack of awareness reduce the potential impact of these resources. By overlaying shared use of open spaces such as existing schoolyards, parks, libraries, vacant land, etc. with resiliency hubs, we could quickly and efficiently activate "Neighborhood Resource Gardens" throughout Los Angeles before hosting the Olympics in 2028.

Neighborhood Resource Gardens (NRG) cultivate and sustain beautiful and resilient common ground, connecting neighborhoods and advancing healthy community life. There are 3 components to the 15 point NRG program (Neighborhood Emergency Kit, Urban Garden, Network Participation), each of which has 5 elements: 1. Neighborhood Emergency Kits = Communications Hub, Disaster Preparedness, Energy Off-Grid, Food and Potable Water. 2. Urban Gardens = Color, Composting, Drought Tolerant Flora, Edible Plants and Fragrance. 3. NRG Network Participation = Civic Events, Community Engagement, Environmental Education, Horticultural Guidance, Resource Registry Currently the El Nido Family Center in Pacoima serves as our case study for advancing an existing community hub from "surviving to thriving". This pilot project showcases the process of first assessing needs at a civic space by assessing what elements of the program a location "has", "needs" and "wants". Next we identify resources and facilitate connections with entities whose missions align, offering opportunities to participate and amplify the impact of their resources. The model also offers potential for community engagement, environmental education, and workforce development, showcasing paths to participate and scale the initiative to have a NRG in every neighborhood ASAP!

Neighborhood Resource Gardens provide opportunities to connect existing resources with places that address community needs for equitable, healthy and beautiful civic space. The impact zone of each site extends well beyond individual locations to serve entire neighborhoods. Fostering community and personal connections offer opportunities for more individual empathy and empowerment, increasing neighborhood bonds and safety. Environmental education provides students of all ages access to critical information for improving their own health and well-being, as well as the Earth's. Neighborhood Resource Gardens engage individual and community groups at the local level while connecting with larger entities in LA and beyond to connect resources that help activate, program, maintain and network these sites. Successful implementation of the NRG program would improve the well-being and resilience of environments and neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles in both the short and long term.

Successful implementation of the Neighborhood Resource Garden program will be measured by how many neighborhoods have one by 2028. Additional performance metrics include how many organizations and individuals participate in the NRG network, and ways resources, including funding, goods, services, and volunteers, are engaged. The success of the NRG pilot project at the El Nido Family Center in Pacoima will showcase how needs can be addressed through connections facilitated with the NRG program. Success would increase accessibility for community members to utilize the garden, community spaces, and be prepared in case of need. The program will scale by offering opportunities for networks of existing civic places with public open spaces like libraries, parks, community gardens, schoolyards, and public rights of way, to network and connect with other civic organizations whose missions align with neighborhood, resiliency, and/or horticulture. The need is urgent and the resources exist.

Our pilot project is at El Nido Family Center in Pacoima. We are documenting the process of working with the El Nido non-profit organization's leadership, including Board Chair, organization Executive Director, location Executive Director, and on-site staff experts to assess needs and facilitate connections with potential resources. The Pacoima ED hopes we can help that location advance from "surviving to thriving". The Culinary Coordinator is advising on resources needed for urban garden related priorities that could enhance the location in conjunction with the launch of a farmer's market this summer, supported by a "Peace and Healing" grant awarded by LA City. This illustrates one of many opportunities for collaboration we have identified and are pursuing.