All across the industrialized world, there are areas that have a dearth of affordable healthy food choices. Atlanta is no exception as residents in some of the most economically depressed areas, found all over West Atlanta, are faced with making tough financial decisions that often leave the dinner table void of healthy, fresh and sustainable food options. For these and other reasons, it is critical that our community is galvanized around creating sustainable food systems. And for these efforts to be successful, they will require a cross-generational, multicultural, and community-public-private partnership. 
The OAC Applied Mentorship Program for Sustainability Urban Garden Resiliency and Oasis (AMPS-UGRO) was born this spring in response to food insufficiency in West Atlanta. In a food dessert inundated with fast food swamps, this ¾ acre urban garden oasis was started by WAWA Board Members and volunteers, who are also West End residents, to help build a local, sustainable, and culturally relevant food system in West Atlanta. The OAC AMPS-UGRO site sits atop Bush Mountain which is home to the 26-acre Outdoor Activity Center urban forest stewarded by WAWA.
The effort has garnered support from Green4All, Georgia Organics, Southeast Horticulture Society, the Atlanta Local Food Initiative, Truly Living Well, Patchwork City Farms, Farmer D, West End Neighborhood Association partners, and local faith based organizations. The mission of OAC AMPS-UGRO is to train a new generation of agtivists committed to ensuring equal access to healthy, high quality, safe and affordable food to all Atlantans, especially modest means communities and communities of color who typically have reduced access to quality produce at affordable prices.
The OAC AMPS-UGRO initiative is committed to attracting urban garden practitioners to provide urban agricultural training through research and teaching to sustain alternative food systems, enhance local economic development, and improve the quality of life in an urban setting. For more information about the program and to find out how you can help support the OAC AMPS-UGRO Initiative, please contact Imran Battla at imran@ampscorps.org or Marcus Penny at marcus@ampscorps.org or call 404-752-5385.