Good Fight has partnered with La Madera Community Garden in the city of El Monte to complete restoration and beautification projects to create a safe space for collective growth and healing. Our objective is to offer educational workshops that promote physical, mental, and spiritual health.

The benefits of community gardens:

• Help improve air and soil quality 
• Increase biodiversity of plants and animals
• Reduce “food miles” that are required to transport nutritious food
• Can reduce neighborhood waste through composting
• Positively impact the urban micro-climate 

Poor nutrition and obesity are both challenges to low-income neighborhoods. Low accessibility to nutritious foods can cause health problems to residents located in food deserts. The addition of gardens to these areas may improve nutrition and increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Community gardens:

• Increase access to fresh foods
• Improve food security 
• Increase physical activity through garden maintenance activities
• Improve dietary habits through education
• Increase fruit and vegetable intake
• Reduce risk of obesity and obesity-related diseases
• Improve mental health and promote relaxation

Social ties are important to the wellbeing of people in a community since they can bring positive health effects and community involvement. Community gardens allow for the creation of social ties and build a greater feeling of community. These connections help reduce crime, empower residents and allow residents to feel safe in their neighborhoods.

• Gardens in urban areas are positively correlated with decreased crime rates 
• Vacant lands can lead to crime which can detrimentally impact the health of residents
• Residents in areas with high crime rates may experience cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders
• The consequences of vacant lands are decreased property values, drug use, and the illegal dumping of litter, tires and chemicals 
• Gardens can improve economic opportunities by training volunteers and selling food at farmers’ markets 
• Urban agriculture can teach residents useful skills in planning, food production and business