Approximately 131,000 Wake County residents are food insecure.
We harvest more than 2,000 pounds of fresh produce each year that goes directly to patients.
Food security means having physical, social, and/or economic access to safe, nutritious, culturally appropriate, and affordable food.
To address food insecurity issues facing many of our patients, AMM partnered with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in 2009 to build our on-site Community Garden. In 2023, we partnered with them again to refresh our raised beds.
Annually, we harvest about 2,000 pounds of fresh produce. All produce is distributed to patients in the clinic or wellness classes along with nutritional information and healthy recipes to encourage patients to try new vegetables.
On a half of an acre, our garden grows a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruits. We focus on growing food that is culturally relevant and familiar to our patient population. Our garden includes:
A quarter acre of intensive vegetable production
Hoophouse for cold-season production
Berry bushes, including blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
10 pear trees
7 fig trees
Herb garden
Pollinator garden
On-site compost bin
Each year, over 300 volunteers support our Community Garden.
Produce is available to all patients for no charge in the clinic and in wellness classes.
Environmental stewards and organic practices:
Our compost bin helps create a closed-loop system by utilizing organic matter already present
Drip irrigation to minimize water use
Pollinator garden dedicated to growing pollinating flowers to attract butterflies and bees in an effort to increase pollinating activity.
Native and perennial garden next to our vegetable beds to provide habitat for insects, birds, and other beneficial organisms to create a healthy ecosystem.
