Creighton Community Foundation (CCF) operates within low-income, food desert neighborhoods in east-central Phoenix, Arizona, where structural inequities contribute to limited access to nutritious food, under-resourced schools, and constrained pathways for youth advancement. Serving more than 28,000 residents annually, CCF advances a community-based model that integrates positive youth development with neighborhood revitalization strategies to improve life outcomes for high-risk youth and foster long-term community vibrancy. Consistent with community development scholarship that positions schools as neighborhood anchors and catalysts for social capacity-building (Chaskin, 2001; Green & Haines, 2016), CCF collaborates with school districts, local organizations, and residents to align resources, expand capacity, and co-create programs responsive to local priorities.
This study will employ an exploratory descriptive case study design to examine the role of community food access and placemaking strategies in strengthening youth development and neighborhood well-being. Specifically, the study will analyze how a community-supported agriculture (CSA) and edible garden model fosters social cohesion, intergenerational engagement, and shared ownership of community spaces. Descriptive, longitudinal community-level data will be utilized to assess patterns of food access, household stability, and youth participation in leadership and mentoring programs.
Drawing on evidence-based youth empowerment and ecological resilience models (Ginwright, 2010; Lerner et al., 2005), CCF’s programs integrate hunger relief, nutrition education, leadership training, and after-school engagement. By embedding food security initiatives within youth development ecosystems (Alkon & Agyeman, 2011; Kretzmann & McKnight, 1993), CCF demonstrates how school-community partnerships can disrupt intergenerational disadvantage and cultivate community well-being. This presentation highlights partnership design, data findings, and a replicable framework for community-rooted innovation.
