October 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 45

At left, children at Tunica Parks and
Recreation in Mississippi receive healthy
meals each day and learn about growing
fresh produce in the community garden.

lic health disparities. More than
15.5 percent of rural residents live
in food insecure households, with
financial constraints often cited as
the primary reason and food deserts - areas with limited access
to affordable and nutritious food
- as a secondary concern. Nearly
5.8 percent of rural residents travel
10-20 miles to reach a supermarket and, with a lack of public or
oftentimes reliable transportation,
that burden becomes much greater.
Communities often cite a lack of
health literacy as another significant barrier when motivating community members to make positive
behavior changes to their poor nutrition habits.
Community Assets
That Promote Health
Despite the challenges, there are
long-standing community assets,
including parks and recreation, that
can be leveraged to promote better
health and wellness outcomes in rural America. Many residents of rural communities have been integral
members of those communities for
generations, creating strong, historical bonds that can be seen through
lasting industries, town spirit and
pride, strong work ethic and a willingness to help each another. These
communities also thrive through
innovation and creativity, and they
can make significant impacts with
limited resources.
As trusted entities and established community-based leaders,
park and recreation agencies are
well-suited to tap into these assets

to address the social determinants
of health, specifically around access to healthy foods, health literacy and youth development.
Parks and Recreation
Promoting Rural Health
With support from the Walmart
Foundation, NRPA is working to
address these health disparities and
the social determinants of health
in rural communities. Through the
2018 Healthy Out-of-School Time
Grant, NRPA is funding a cohort
of 10 rural park and recreation
agencies in Colorado, Kansas and
Mississippi to increase access to
healthy meals and snacks during
out-of-school times, provide evidence-based nutrition education
to youth and families, and adopt
practices and policies that improve
healthy eating and physical activity
environments.

Nearly 5.8 percent of rural
residents travel 10-20 miles to
reach a supermarket and, with
a lack of public or oftentimes
reliable transportation, that
burden becomes much greater.
One of the communities benefiting from the grant is Tunica County, located in the Mississippi Delta. Known as the " gateway to the
blues, " Tunica County is part of a
region that for decades has struggled with persistent poverty, food
insecurity and poor health. Thirty-eight percent of its 10,000 residents live in food-insecure homes,
and there is only one grocery store
in town that covers 481 square
miles. Despite these struggles, the
Tunica County Parks and Recreation department is working with

Many rural residents live in food insecure
households, where financial constraints
and limited access to affordable and
nutritious food are primary concerns.
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Parks & Recreation

October 2018 - Parks & Recreation

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