Community Health Worker Authors Coloring Book on Community Gardens

Ma’ta Crawford, Founder, Community Fresh Start.

Ma’ta is a devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter, community servant, and businesswoman. She is a native of Greenville, growing up in one of its poorest Black communities on the city's South side. Most importantly, out of her lived experience is a heart for giving back to her community through the Community Fresh Start Program (CFS). With its purpose of promoting community engagement relating to health and wellness thus building thriving communities.

CFS, a 501(c)3 was founded in 2018 to provide community resources and referrals due to challenges with social determinants of health. Its mission is to meet clients where they are -- building resource teams, leveraging community resources, and, using a ”front door” approach to service delivery along with a partnership with community organizations i.e. Live Well Greenville, Greenville Food Coalition, Greenville Homeless Alliances, Upstate Circle of Friends, Grace, and Mercy Transition Housing for Women, South Carolina Predatory Lending Alliance, South Carolina Community Health Workers Association have changed the lives of people for a better tomorrow.

She believes that community members are more successful with a village supporting them. So that, families and individuals are given hope to live healthy lifestyles and improve overall health outcomes. Recently, Ma’ta has been using Community gardening activities as a vehicle to teach healthy eating. Using STEM education, she is promoting community gardening through her coloring book “Grow to Eat Coloring and Activity Book” for children from 5-10 years of age. For more information, go to:  https://payhip.com/u1649400844

You can hear Ma'ta speak about neighbors helping neighbors and the impact of community navigation by clicking here.