Healthy Communities

Community Gardens

DeKalb County seeks to promote healthy eating and active living in DeKalb through community gardens.  Community gardens are growing in popularity around the country as people become more concerned with healthy food choices and local food supplies.  Community gardens contribute to bringing people of all ages and abilities together to enjoy healthy living, recreation and social activities without regards to cultural, social or economic background.

DeKalb County is committed to providing this beneficial activity to the public.  To support community gardening, DeKalb County has developed a Garden in the Parks Program that permits community gardens to be created in certain parks across the county.  For more information on the Garden in the Parks program, please call the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve at (770) 492-5220 or click here to download an application package.

Local Foods and Farmers Markets

Farmers markets serve dual purposes within communities; local farmers are able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables without driving long distances, allowing them to conserve fuels, while providing fresh in-season produce to local communities.  DeKalb County maintains a list of local farmers markets with contact information, location, hours of operation and commodities sold so local communities can take advantage of the healthful benefits of local foods.  To view a list of local DeKalb County Farmers Markets, click here.

Cooperative Extension Services

DeKalb County’s Cooperative Extension Services’ mission is to extend lifelong learning to DeKalb County citizens through unbiased, researched-based education in horticulture, the environment, communities, youth and families.

DeKalb County’s Extension office encompasses information on agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development programs, and family and consumer sciences.  The Extension Office offers annual classes on health, food and nutrition, radon testing, and homeowners information including gardening and wildlife.

To find out more about the DeKalb Cooperative Extension Service and to see a list of class offerings, click here.

DeKalb County Extension Master Gardeners

The Master Gardener Program provides community-minded gardeners with practical horticultural training that can be taken back and shared within their neighborhoods.  This is a volunteer development program which trains gardeners to help their local extension office with their education and outreach efforts.  Volunteers assist in program information and help handle a large volume of citizen information requests.  Demonstration sites include composting, conservation and gardening.  These are made available for citizens to visit countywide.

Master gardener training is “THE” training for all who are interested in volunteerism and community service.  This 22-part series is offered once a year.  It provides 50 hours of training for a small fee and the commitment to return 50 hours of volunteer service.  The volunteer hours are spent assisting the extension office with its educational efforts.  Visit the DeKalb County Extension Office website or click here.

Master Active Living Plan

DeKalb County is at work with a new neighborhood improvement program that will improve public health and reduce obesity – a major risk factor for heart problems.  The county’s Master Active Living Plan will improve the integration of physical activity into the daily routines of DeKalb County residents.  Master plans will be implemented to guide future redevelopment and transportation improvements around several areas within the county.  The intent is to encourage healthier lifestyles by 1) improving the bike/pedestrian connections between places where people work and neighborhoods where people live and play; and 2) outlining opportunities to make neighborhoods more walkable by using principles of smart growth – encouraging mixed-use buildings, more compact development, interconnected streets, bike paths and sidewalks.

The DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability is partnering with the DeKalb County Health Department on these efforts.  The two-part approach will first focus on targeted activity centers to improve the bike/pedestrian connections of these activity centers to nearby neighborhoods, parks, schools and other public facilities.  The second component will be development with an emphasis on mixed-use, compact development, interconnected streets, multi-modal accessibility and increased public space.  For more information, email Cedric Hudson or call (404) 371-2789.

Recration Programs

The Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Department provides leisure services to enrich the quality of life that affects the whole person and the community through individual involvement in an array of recreational experiences. Recreation is essential to personal health, human development, quality of life, and builds strong families and healthy communities. DeKalb County strives to enhance personal growth opportunities for individuals, encouraging the constructive use of leisure time. Acknowledging recreation as a personal choice, DeKalb County focuses efforts to offer leisure participation in an atmosphere where participants can achieve individual levels of success. For more information, visit the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs website.  For a map of county parks, click here.  For a list of our recreation centers, click here.