Grants Awarded for 18 Community Gardens

The Mid Shore Health Improvement Coalition is excited to announce that mini-grants have been awarded to 18 organizations on the Mid Shore to develop community gardens.

Businesses, non-profits, faith-based and other community-based organizations that serve residents of Caroline, Dorchester and/or Kent counties were eligible to apply for these $5,000 grants, totaling $90,000.

The grants stemmed from a larger award from the Maryland Department of Health, provided to the health departments in Caroline, Dorchester and Kent to address obesity. The three counties rank among the five Maryland counties with the highest adult obesity rates, and residents overall have higher poverty rates, less access to healthy foods and exercise opportunities, lower rates of physical activity, and higher rates of diabetes than Maryland.

'We had overwhelming interest in this grant opportunity and were able to secure additional dollars to fund all applications,' said Nicole Morris, Lead for the Mid Shore Health Improvement Coalition. 'The organizations are diverse and serve some our most vulnerable residents. Gardens will be established at schools, churches, YMCAs, senior centers, and at organizations that serve those with disabilities, and those in recovery from substance abuse.'

Organization	County Served
​Caroline Medical Adult Day CARE	​Caroline
Greensboro Elementary School	Caroline
Caroline County Family YMCA	Caroline
Aarons Place Inc	Caroline, Dorchester
Cambridge Community Garden	Dorchester
Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc.	Dorchester
Heirloom Athletics, LLC	Dorchester
Hurlock United Methodist Church	Dorchester
New Beginnings Youth and Family Services	Dorchester
​Pauline F. and W. David Robbins Family YMCA	Dorchester
Bayside H.O.Y.A.S., Inc	Kent
Crossroads Community, Inc.	Kent
Echo Hill Outdoor School	Kent
Minary's Dream Alliance, Inc.	Kent
Mt Olive AME Church Missionary Society	Kent
Recovery in Motion	Kent
UM Shore Regional Health Mobile Wellness Team	Kent
Washington College Campus Garden	Kent

About the Mid Shore Health Improvement Coalition:

All jurisdictions in Maryland have Local Health Improvement Coalitions to address pressing health issues. In 2021, the five Mid Shore counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot, banded together to share knowledge, and leverage scarce resources. Our initial task is to address the prevention and management of prediabetes and diabetes, and stakeholders across the region are working together to create the first Diabetes Action Plan for the Mid Shore. We won't stop there, as we hope to be a 'home' for those seeking to address the numerous health priorities across our region. Learn more at midshorehealth.org