Words by Smiley Team
Former Women’s National Association of Basketball (WNBA) star, Bridget Pettis, has started teaching others in low-income communities how to grow their own food to combat growing food deserts.
During her offseason, she retreats to her home in Phoenix, AZ, where she can be found in her community garden and working her non-profit Project Roots AZ.
Project Roots AZ is a non-profit organization, located in South Phoenix, Arizona, with a purpose of educating and feeding the homeless through a community garden and mobile kitchen service.
According to Pettis, Project Roots AZ was created due to a need in the community. “The people in this community are ready to take control of their health, they want to live healthier lives and they need options to do it," she says.
[Read more: The special benefits of community food co-ops]
Pettis grew up in a rough neighborhood in East Chicago, Illinois, and has witnessed firsthand the effects of heart disease and diabetes in her own family.
“Being an athlete, I always ate healthily and wanted to maintain that lifestyle and I want to teach my family how to care for themselves,” she says.
“I want to live and I want my children to live. I want to leave behind a legacy that they can pass down from one generation to the next,” she adds, looking at her thirteen-year-old son, who's shaking his head in agreement.
When asked about the community response to the community garden, Pettis says her community responded out of love and has shown much support for the garden. “The families in this community know that the timing is right. They want to eat better and they want their children to eat healthily. They also have an appreciation and respect for nature when they grow their own food.”
Pettis uses compost for her soil, so no item goes to waste. And she not only provides a way for others to plant and grow their own food, but also donates her food to local food banks and runs a soup kitchen.
Her love for gardening has motivated her to branch out. She also started a community garden in her hometown in East Chicago/Gary Indiana.
While she is away, she will have volunteers maintain the Phoenix Community Garden located at Spaces of Opportunity.
“My mission is to end all homelessness in Phoenix and my hometown, through the help of our community gardens programs. This is the impact I want to leave for my community and my family, love through food.”
Pettis is looking for volunteers or donations. Those who already have spaces at Protect Roots can stop by anytime to tend to their space.
If you are interested in a space at Project Roots to grow your own food or volunteer opportunities, you can contact them at [email protected] or by phone at 1-602-577-2090. You can also visit Project Roots AZ.
