GLOBAL INNOVATION

Inner-City Nutrition & “Green-Collar Jobs” in a USD 50 Billion Global Market

Abstract

Dr. Margaret Connors – Serial Entrepreneur, Urban Farmer, Medical Anthropologist

Are your kids eating well at school? At one school, kids ate stale-cheese sandwiches for three weeks (or didn’t) while the canteen oven lay broken. Students endured headaches and fatigue and had trouble learning. The building sat amidst weed-filled vacant lots. The school Wellness Coordinator (also a Mom) put the two together and took action. She launched an inner-city Urban Farming project that became two organizations helping to grow a USD 50 Billion market, putting a dent in obesity, healthcare, Economic Renewal, and Climate Change. 'A tough row to hoe, but worthwhile for millions of kids (and adults) worldwide.

For more information on her work, see: LinkedIn,  citygrowers.wordpress.com, and urbanfarminginstitute.org.