One innovative program in Detroit, "Peaches and Greens," takes a page from the neighborhood ice cream man – only the trucks are stocked with fresh produce instead of fudge pops and ice-cream sandwiches. Volunteers grow the produce in nearby community gardens. "Hip Hop for Health" in St. Louis targets middle school students, using music as the back beat for a curriculum on healthy food choices. Other programs reach school-age children as young as kindergartners, helping them build school gardens and espousing the benefits of eating locally grown foods.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of