2025/01/01 by Mahbubur Meenar, Leslie Spencer · 2 voices
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Social Sciences · #Urban Agriculture and Sustainability #Organic Food and Agriculture #Indigenous and Place-Based Education
paper · pdf · doi:10.5304/jafscd.2025.143.027
openalex publication_date 2025/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/06/25 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study of small-town community perceptions of the food environment, food equity, and home-based food cultivation, specifically examining how participation in the Glassboro Grows home-gardening program influenced these views. Conducted in Glassboro, a small college town in southern New Jersey, USA, the study drew on field observations, food environment mapping, resident surveys (N = 156), and interviews with community leaders (N = 17) and program participants (N = 26). According to the study's findings, persistent barriers such as inadequate transportation options and insufficient access to information continue to perpetuate food inequities. Most participants viewed home gardening as a food supplement rather than a solution to food insecurity. Despite favorable conditions and program support, many participants encountered challenges in their gardening efforts. Residents and community leaders identified potential solutions to improve food access, including expanded bus routes, mobile apps to locate food resources, and the placement of refrigerators at food pantries. Overall, this study reveals food access disparities in Glassboro, where food insecurity persists even amid local farms and food outlets, highlighting food inequity that demands broader interventions beyond promoting home-based gardening.