Cityfarmer: A Survey of Community Gardens - Communities can promote health in all sorts of ways, not just through hospitals or community health centres. This study conduted in Upstate New York found that planting community gardens had an impressive positive effect on the health of community members, and brought other benefits as well. Community Gardens can be especially effective in improving nutrition for the people who use it, which has a direct and measurable impact on their health and well-being.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - This website tells the story of Davis Inlet, a native community ravaged by substance abuse and crime, which had a high youth suicide rate and other health problems. Community building projects, led in part by community members and government workers, are starting to improve the situation, through an intensive counselling and healing program. In this case, desperate times called for particularly innovative measures that are starting to turn things around for this troubled community.

Changemakers: Transforming Health Care - Years of environmental degradation and pollution from many sources have produced record levels of juvenile leukemia and other serious conditions. The hospitals are unfriendly, sterile places, but, as this article explains, children recovering from leukemia now have a more friendly hospital environment and community support programs specifically tailored to them once they are released from hospital, all of which are arranged completely by members of the community.

Changemakers is a great source for information on many social issues, including health. Their online library includes many helpful resources.

Have we missed something? Know a great resource we should include here? Email us at tamarack@tamarackcommunity.ca.

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