Re/Storing Nashville

Beginning in 2008, Re/Storing Nashville (R/SN) began to build a broad, faith-based movement in Nashville to address the increase in childhood obesity among the community's most vulnerable members. The program works to increases access to grocery stores and healthy food options among low-income residents by advocating for transportation and economic development policy changes.

The strategies of R/SN include interfaith community organization, leadership development, research, policy and media advocacy, and social change. Specific components of the program and RS/N activities include:

1) Toolkit development: In conjunction with the Interfaith Planning Council, R/SN developed a 75 page toolkit titled, “From Charity to Justice: Building a healthy and equitable food system through faith and community action.”

2) Community involvement: RS/N works to create relationships with community partners, advisory council members and members of the religious community.

3) Youth involvement: RS/N supported a student Photovoice project about healthy food access and nutrition and created the “Breaking Bread Leadership Curriculum” to teach students about food access, food policy and food justice.

4) Media involvement: RS/N works to establish an ongoing and meaningful media presence raising awareness about food access. Media outlets of interest include the print media, television, documentaries and the internet.

Re/Storing Nashville seeks to end hunger through creating a healthy, just and sustainable food system.

Since 2008, RS/N has accomplished the following in the specific program areas:

1) The toolkit was disseminated to congregations, policymakers, and individuals throughout the city and includes study materials, reflections from local religious leaders, discussion questions, and sample worship activities and texts. Toolkits are available in print and online at www.restoringnashville.org.

2) RS/N secured a partnership with The Food Trust to replicate their Fresh Food Financing Initiative organizing process in Tennessee and supported 10 or more local houses of worship to develop gardens.

3) More than 100 Nashville area middle and high school students engaged in interfaith dialogue and leadership training using the “Breaking Bread Leadership Curriculum,” and eight students participated in the Photovoice project.

4) Media involvement: RS/N developed or was showcased in 15 feature print articles, 3 feature radio stories and 20 feature television news stories and garnered numerous references in blog posts, event listings, and other news outlets. Moreover, RS/N efforts led to a strong focus on food deserts in NPT Children’s Health Crisis documentary series and was featured in supplementary materials for the PBS documentary “The Calling.”