#PeopleofNEI: Sue, growing a healthy community

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Northeast Indiana is evolving. These are the people shaping its future. #PeopleofNEI

This week’s feature:

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Sue is the Parkview Health Chief Experience Officer and has worked for Parkview for 25 years. She is weeks away from retirement. She has a heart for the community and how food is impacting our lives. She has been actively involved in the creation of Parkview’s new Community Greenhouse located next to Parkview Behavioral Health, on Beacon Street in the 46805 zip code, near several of Fort Wayne’s food deserts. “This location is purposeful. We couldn’t have found a better spot. Not only is it in a food desert, it also connects with food insecurity which happens when there isn’t a grocery store within a certain range of homes to offer access to food and veggies. This greenhouse is all about coming back together and getting back to nature. There is a learning kitchen here and we want people to feel at home here and then take these skills home to cook healthy food. Cooking is therapeutic. Growing up, my dad would spend his time in the garden. It had a spiritual connection for him. It’s not about religion but it’s about what nature helps provide for us. This is a gathering place for the community that will allow them to have a spiritual connection and become a healthier person which will lead to a healthier city. We have to start somewhere. The kids get excited when they are growing the food and tasting it. Letting kids grow plants and selling it allows them to raise money and create roots. Suddenly, they are eating fruits and veggies that they never had before. I don’t know any better way to end a healthcare career than to give back to the community with a plan to be healthy. When I thought about starting this project, it was all about how we nurture our body and getting back to those beginnings. It causes you to pause and reflect. It’s like a seed that grows, matures, and dies. That’s life. It’s that connection that is so important.” #PeopleofNEI

A post shared by Input Fort Wayne (@inputfortwayne) on Dec 9, 2018 at 5:31pm PST

#PeopleofNEI: Sue, growing a healthy community

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