Library Grant Aimed at Promoting Healthy Food Choices
The Greenlee County Library branch in Duncan hopes to set community members on the path to healthier eating habits through a grant it will use to acquire kitchen equipment for loan in combination with providing related educational activities.
Duncan librarian Ashlee Germaine said the library’s new Feed the Body, Feed the Mind program is being funded through the AZ Librarians Enhancing Resilience in Rural Communities Initiative, a partnership between the Arizona Library Association and the University of Arizona Center for Rural Health. The Duncan Library was one of several small, rural community libraries that were recently awarded $5,000 mini-grants to support the implementation of projects aimed at reducing health and health-related disparities in their communities.
In the Duncan Library’s case, Germaine said the bulk of the money will be used to acquire cooking equipment — mixers, pressure cookers and the like — that people can check out and use at home to prepare and preserve healthier foods. This service will be offered in conjunction with regular cooking classes and a book club.
Germaine said although the grant period ends May 31, 2023, the library hopes to continue the program indefinitely.
As for concerns about the kitchen equipment being returned in good working order, if at all, that’s not an issue that’s exclusive to cookware.
“We’re hoping for the best,” she said.
For more information about the Feed the Body, Feed the Mind program, contact Germaine at (928) 359-2094.