Violence prevention, health promotion coming together: Projects creating healthier neighborhoods

Revision International, a nonprofit organization that focuses on sustainability initiatives in low-income neighborhoods. “We’ve done surveys and community members have responded almost overwhelmingly that they don’t feel safe walking to a local retailer, both because of the built environment and also because of the perception of violence.”

Using urban gardening as a prevention strategy, the pilot project, Semillas de Esperanza, or “seeds of hope,” taught gardening skills to 12- to 17-year-olds who were at risk for joining a gang or were already in a gang.