In the heart of Asheville’s historic Shiloh neighborhood, a groundbreaking initiative is reimagining how communities can finance and implement climate solutions while building reliable neighborhood-based food security. At the intersection of innovative financing, community empowerment, and environmental justice, this project could create a blueprint for sustainable community development through food systems.
It starts with a modular hydroponic installation at Shiloh’s community garden led by Gardner Singleton, community garden network manager for the Bountiful Cities group of urban gardens in Asheville. It will solve two problems: enhance food security under normal conditions, and create an emergency food supply provided by local gardeners when a climate disaster like hurricane Helene or when other, less catastrophic interruptions cause the supermarkets to be closed or the power to go out. Electricity when the power goes out can be provided by the microgrids that Sara Nichols of Land of Sky Regional Economic Development authority has, in a volunteer project, been raising money for and distributing to community centers and shelters.
Long term philanthropic funding for the network infrastructure of the hydroponic network could be created through the catacap.org philanthropic investment platform that’s supported by the $3.5 billion Impact Assets donor advised fund platform.. Backed by the due diligence and underwriting from Eagle Market Streets, an Asheville-based non profit community development corporation through which community groups set up a revolving investment fund at each garden for as little as $5,000.
This is food security via affordable technology to create climate prepared resilience that, if the pilot works well, will be deployed at the six Asheville neighborhoods that suffered urban renewal and the federally mandated injustice of redlining of Black neighborhoods. Besides Shiloh, they include:
- Southside (East Riverside): This neighborhood underwent the largest urban renewal project in the southeastern United States, resulting in the displacement of nearly 4,000 residents, constituting about 50% of Asheville’s Black population at the time.
- East End/Valley Street: One of Asheville’s oldest African American communities, this area experienced substantial changes due to urban renewal, leading to the loss of homes, businesses, and cultural landmarks.
- Stumptown: Located near the Montford area, Stumptown was a vibrant Black neighborhood that faced significant disruptions and displacement as a result of urban renewal efforts.
- Hill Street: This community was also affected by urban renewal, leading to the displacement of residents and the dismantling of established neighborhoods and
- Burton Street: Although not entirely demolished, parts of the Burton Street community were impacted by urban renewal projects, affecting the neighborhood’s cohesion and infrastructure.
These urban renewal projects led to the displacement of thousands of residents and the dismantling of established communities, leaving lasting impacts on Asheville’s cultural and social landscape. Food systems can be a path to repair that historical damage.
Cathy Cleary, Outreach Coordinator of Bountiful Cities, outlined this vision of the role of the garden network that’s possible now that the disaster has enabled people to build something new that’s better than what we had before Helene.
- Urban Gardens as Resilience Hubs
- Rescue Edible Foods: Partner with local restaurants, bakeries, and grocers to redirect surplus food to community meal sites, food pantries, and households in need
- Food Waste Composting: Close the loop by collecting compostables from markets, kitchens, and food hubs to support soil regeneration across zip codes
- Supply Chain Coordination for Restaurants & Food Venues
- a “Farm-to-Table Resilience Network” could be established
- Education and Skill-Building
- hands-on training modules for resilience-building. Focus areas could include:
- Agriculture Education: Growing food in urban and extra-urban settings
- Food Waste Systems: Food rescue, composting techniques, and supply chain logistics
- Policy Advocacy: Building local support for food security initiatives and composting regulations
- Community Resilience Across Zip Codes
This hydroponic network based project that combines innovative food systems with climate resilience and reparations will be one focus of Neighborhood Economics April 1-2 in Asheville.