Flourishing Together: A Citywide Effort to Address Food Insecurity and Gun Violence
Cincinnati is taking bold steps to address two deeply interconnected challenges—food insecurity and gun violence—through a new initiative led by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the Fisher Center. Backed by an $850,000 city grant, this effort brings together more than a dozen community partners to create a network of urban farms and neighborhood hubs in areas most impacted by violence and poverty.
The initiative is designed to serve firearm injury survivors, system-involved youth, and public school students, with a focus on long-term, community-led solutions. These hubs will offer fresh produce, commercial kitchens, mentorship, and workforce development opportunities—creating spaces where youth and families can connect, grow, and flourish.
Among the partners is Isaiah 55, Inc., whose founder Shannon Carr shared ambitious goals:
Serve eight neighborhoods through walkable hubs
Grow 20,000 to 100,000 pounds of produce annually
Prepare 150,000 meals by 2027
Create up to 63 new jobs, prioritizing local residents
Neighborhoods already slated for hubs include Avondale, East Price Hill, and the West End, with additional urban farms planned for Over-the-Rhine, Walnut Hills, West Price Hill, Winton Hills, and others.
Dr. Carley Riley of Cincinnati Children’s emphasized that these hubs are more than food access points. They are places of connection, opportunity, and hope. “Food represents so much more than a solution to hunger,” Riley said. “It represents community. It represents hopefulness.”
This initiative is part of the city’s Impact Award program, which funds projects aimed at systemic change. With additional funding already secured and more being pursued, the goal is to build a sustainable model that continues to serve and uplift communities well beyond the initial two-year grant.