File:Community toolshed at the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. (19181786501).jpg

In Local Foods, Local Places workshops, the facilitation team often hears that some residents are deterred from participating in planting or gardening, despite a strong work ethic, because they lack the tools and supplies. One idea to encourage resident participation is to loan tools at low or no cost through the city or a community group. For more on equitable development, see “Creating Equitable, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities: Strategies for Advancing Smart Growth, Environmental Justice, and Equitable Development.”

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) in Youngstown, Ohio, requested assistance from the Local Foods, Local Places program. On April 23-24, 2015, a team of agricultural, transportation, environmental, public health, and regional economic experts visited Youngstown to work with residents and local food groups to explore strategies to support local foods and community revitalization. By coupling local food production with smart growth strategies, communities can create vibrant places while protecting people’s health and the natural environment. EPA’s Smart Growth Program has tools, publications, and technical assistance to help communities achieve these goals.