In an attempt to address liver disease, diabetes, obesity and other health issues, Brownsville has launched a comprehensive, cohesive approach to promoting health, being named a model for other communities across the country.

In addition to providing tradition primary care service, clinics in Pensacola and New Orleans are working to improve community health and promote health as well as treat illness. Initiatives—identified and developed in collaboration with residents—include building safe places to play and increasing access to fresh produce.

To develop the next generation of producers, the Young Farmers Coalition non-profit is now pushing Congress and individual state legislatures to take a big step: forgiving farmers’ student loans.

A number of problems continue to challenge rural agriculture in the western United States. These include connecting people who grow the food with the people that need to eat the food, food waste worsening greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing numbers of new farmers that take up the practice of agriculture. Different initiatives, such as those presented by Reunity Resources and the National Young Farmers Coalition, encourage collaboration to make sustainable food sources for the poor and for the future of farming.

Point Mackenzie Correctional Farm has 35 inmates who work to produce food for the local food banks and the prison. The inmates who work there learn key practical skills, which have the potential to transform them and reduce recidivism.

In the United States, one in seven people are food insecure, and in Tucson, the number is even higher. Food banks increasingly find that their roles are not simply to distribute food, but to create sustainable change through "food literacy" - which is exactly how organizations like the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona are tackling the issue. They establish urban farms that not only provide the needy with fresh, local produce, but create a classroom for students, green areas for families to enjoy, and event space for the community to gather and learn.

Bureaucracy in the health care system causes burnout among doctors. A new medical course, the Healer's Art, is being offered across the nation, which helps doctors reconnect to the humanity of their work and maintain their commitment for it.

“Sustainable Williamson” combined ideas and initiatives from local officials, community members, nonprofit organizations to address both the economy and the well-being of a community where unemployment and drug use were climbing.

For many low-income community members, access to healthy food choices can be more challenging than many might think, especially when they lack private transport. Richland Public Health is leveraging the Communities Preventing Chronic Disease grant to help corner stores - which for many neighborhoods, are the only stable location from where to purchase food - to have healthier offerings, especially produce from local farmers, and other counties are taking on the initiative as well.

An impoverished corner of Hawaii may not sound like the foundation of a successful agriculture endeavor, but local youth have proved otherwise. MA'O translating into youth food garden aims to show college-aged youth a way onto a different path by teaching them sustainable and organic farm practices alongside lessons in how to be leaders in all areas of life.

Production agriculture has put many small town, local farmers out of business, changing the landscape of the communities they've been pushed out of. One town in Missouri is fighting against this by joining together to preserve the importance of local control by nurturing a tradition of canning tomatoes.

Camp Shine, is helping student survivors of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, heal. Through art, dance, and music, they are processing their trauma. The camp, was founded by two upperclassmen from MSDHS who believe in the idea of healing through art. Data shows it’s working. Researchers from the University of Miami who surveyed the students before and after the camp saw a reduction in PTSD symptoms. "They're here to have fun, but they're also here to heal.”

A Santa Fe medical center is augmenting addiction treatment with art therapy. Their approach works to heal the emotional trauma associated with drug addiction and empower them to take control of their own stories.

Two columns on Time Banks, where people swap services – teach calligraphy to one neighbor, and get computer repair from another neighbor. Time Banks create community and make people healthier – which is why hospitals and clinics are now starting them.

A small agricultural co-op in the mountains of Veracruz, Mexico, has effectively implemented its own approach to climate change. The community adapts the main sector of its economy and livelihood-- farming-- to sustainable practices. "Las Cañadas" has increased the food security and health of the local community while simultaneously decreasing deforestation, soil degradation and carbon emissions.

The Transplanting Tradition Community Farm, based outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has given ethnic Karen, Chin, and Burmese immigrants families space to grow and sell food, as well as receive trainings and other services. But they aren't farming just for money - the farm can help refugees find a sense of home and happiness in a new country.

Regenerative farming practices such as cover crops can be environmentally friendly and financially profitable. But federal crop insurance rules and certain characteristics of the agriculture industry have prevented farmers from employing these techniques fully. However, one farmer, Gail Fuller, has been working to broaden access to such techniques.

Data from a trial in Frome, England shows that strong community support has a strong impact on recovery rates from a variety of medical ailments. The Compassionate Frome Project and Health Connections Mendip connect patients with "health connectors" who help them make health care plans and "community connectors" who help them find support within their community.

Joint use policies turn communal spaces—such as schools and churches—during off-hours into a place for public health programs. This can be especially impactful in communities were the ability to exercise outside can be curtailed by lack of green space, environmental issues, or public safety concerns.

To educate and prepare new mothers, Centering Pregnancy and Centering Parenting sites in the United States offer community-based patient-centered care in low-income areas. Centering offers interactive learning, check-ups, and social support, so that women can take charge of their health.

A D.C. non-profit is using storytelling, improv, and comedy to bridge the gap between veterans and civilians. A study by doctors at Western Carolina University found that the program resulted in "a significant increase in commitment, control and self-esteem, as well as decreased stress," and the Armed Services Arts Partnership can't accommodate everyone who requests to join the program.

Community Health Workers in Richmond County work to reduce barriers - including employment, education, smoking, food security or housing - that may contribute to the likelihood of infant mortality. Using the Community HUB Pathways Model to minimize significant sources of stress in a woman’s life, they are helping drive down infant mortality rates in Ohio, particularly for women and babies of color.

Milwaukee County’s mental health system put more resources in expensive emergency care rather than invest in programs that offer continual care. As a result, Milwaukee County identifies nine solutions from other cities that have had success in repairing mental health systems. Solutions include the ending of reliance on emergency care, expand community support programs, change laws, and supportive housing.

In the United States, a multi-denominational movement combines faith and farming. “Gardens are magical places,” says Venice Williams, executive director of Alice’s Garden in Milwaukee, one of three faith-based farms profiled in this story. “This garden and most gardens slow you down, connect you to other people, and help you to put things into perspective and to celebrate everything that the creator has provided for us--however you identify with that creator.”

Small farmers have been struggling for years with low commodity prices and rising production costs. But throughout the Midwest, a new farm-to-table strategy is giving a boost to some farmers.

Deforestation, overgrazing, and increased carbon emissions are familiar challenges as climate change continues to threaten our food systems. Author Eric Toensmeier discusses how "carbon farming" - or practices such as agroforestry, improved annual crop rotation, and better grazing practices are not only good for farmers - increasing yields and reducing land degradation - but good for capturing carbon and environmental health overall. Toensmeier also discusses how to get more farmers to practice these methods: improved financial models, government support, and a certification system.