Rooted in Wellness: Addressing Nutrition Security within Metro Atlanta

In metro Atlanta, nutrition security remains one of the most urgent health challenges impacting families’ ability to thrive and directly influencing the community’s rates of chronic disease. Nearly 1 in 8 Georgians face food insecurity, and for neighborhoods already confronting high rates of high blood pressure and limited access to health care, the lack of fresh, affordable food only deepens existing disparities.

Despite these challenges, local farms, fresh food stands, and nutrition-focused organizations are working tirelessly to strengthen nutrition security and improve overall health outcomes across the Atlanta area now more than ever.

On the south side of Atlanta, you’ll find farmers like those at Atlanta Harvest and Patchwork City Farms not only growing crops but also cultivating community health. What began as small, local farms with a passion for fresh food and community has grown into a movement—thanks to a wave of support empowering these grassroots efforts to scale.

With support from the American Heart Association’s Bernard J. Tyson Social Impact Fund, 12 minority-led organizations in the metro area were selected to help close the nutrition gap by increasing access to healthy, affordable, and environmentally sustainable food. Their efforts span the entire food ecosystem — from agriculture and distribution to meal delivery and reducing food waste through donation and redistribution. Beginning in 2021, Atlanta Harvest and Patchwork City Farms were among the organizations awarded grants from the fund.

Founded in 2013, Atlanta Harvest is an urban farm and wellness center serving greater Atlanta with a commitment to producing naturally grown food while improving access to farm fresh produce in areas where it’s needed most. Located in Ellenwood, the farm has become a vital resource for families in South DeKalb. Over the last few years, the farm is bringing its next phase to life: continuing to expand to a second location, working on expanding the land at Ellenwood to make it ready to grow food, and a new indoor market that will provide consistent, year-round access to fresh fruits and vegetables while expanding the farm’s capacity to meet growing community needs.

“This experience has not only helped us grow our farm—it’s played a major role in developing our upcoming indoor store, which will give us more versatility in the types of products we can offer,” said EliYahu Ben Asa, owner of Atlanta Harvest. “It’s helping us create a reliable, long-term solution for food access as well as for our farm.”

In Oakland City, Patchwork City Farms has grown into a thriving urban farm that distributes over 12,000 pounds of food annually to more than 7,000 customers. From weekend markets to farm stands and school partnerships, the farm is helping redefine what food access looks like in its neighborhood. To date, Patchwork City Farms has expanded its infrastructure and began the process of developing programming that combines food education with hands-on learning for students and families alike. Patchwork City Farms continues to be at the center of innovation when it comes to farming and creating accessible spaces for Atlanta residents.

“Oakland City is my neighborhood, and it’s my goal to see that it thrives and becomes one of the healthiest environments in Atlanta,” said Jamila Norman, founder of Patchwork City Farms. “This lifechanging opportunity allowed my business to grow in powerful ways and affirmed the value of the work we’re doing right here in the community.”

As both farms continue to grow, so does their impact. From job creation to nutrition education, organizations like Atlanta Harvest and Patchwork City Farms are changing the local food landscape and offering pathways toward better health through access, dignity, and care.

Through its investments across metro Atlanta, the Bernard J. Tyson Social Impact Fund is helping to build a future where nutritious food is not a privilege, but a basic right—supporting the people and places already doing the work to make that future a reality. To date, over 634,289 households within food insecure communities provided access to healthy and affordable food and 400 local farmers were trained or supported to grow healthy foods.

“This is more than farming. It’s a solution that starts at the ground level, led by community members who know their neighborhoods best,” said Carla Smith, region senior vice president and executive director of the Metro Atlanta American Heart Association. “To sustain and expand these efforts, more investment is needed investment in people, in infrastructure, and in the long-term health of our city.”

To learn more about the American Heart Association’s efforts to support nutrition security in metro Atlanta, visit heart.org/atlanta.