Collaboratory’s Women’s Legacy Fund recently awarded Healthy Living Collaboration $65,000 and committed to two more years of additional investment. The school garden program has reduced food insecurities among students and grown healthier minds, stronger communities, and created future leaders.
Healthy Living Collaboration unites four departments from the School District of Lee County and a diverse network of cross-sector partners to establish and sustain impactful school garden programs. As a result, there are about 80 school gardens spread throughout elementary, middle and high schools in Lee County. These range from small pollinator habitats to full-scale hydroponic and aquaponic systems. During the past school year, school gardens produced nearly 11,000 pounds of produce and saved roughly $25,000 for school kitchens.
“The impact of these gardens goes far beyond the numbers – it’s about the transformation we see in our students,” said Leisha Roy, Chair of the Healthy Living Collaboration. “We’re witnessing first-hand improved academics, stronger mental health, and a renewed sense of purpose. These gardens are cultivating leadership, confidence, and a deeper connection to learning, all while strengthening our communities and creating a healthier future for our students.”
Alongside Healthy Living Collaboration, two additional project teams – each emerging from the Health and Wellness Coalition – presented to WLF and still seek support. Produce RX addresses obesity and diabetes through education and produce distribution in Immokalee – a food desert with nearly double the obesity rates of other Collier County zip codes. Headstream, which partners with the Hendry County K-12 Learning Lab, addresses critical mental health challenges where there is just one mental health counselor for every 2,850 residents and just one mental health counselor for every 1,500 students. This initiative aims to equip teachers with the digital resources necessary to support students’ mental well-being and bridge the gap in mental health services within the school district.
