Get Healthy Utah News and Blog

Get Healthy Utah, The Utah Worksite Wellness Council, and Utah Community Builders brought together business and health leaders across Utah for the 2026 Utah Business of Health Event: Good Health is Good Business, on February 4 at the Zions Bancorporation Technology Center in Midvale. The purpose of this event was to elevate and learn the impact business has on health and to explore how businesses can improve the health and quality of life of their employees and Utahns.

The theme for our 2026 event was Back to What Matters: Building Stronger People, Workplaces & Communities. In an era of constant change and competing priorities, this event helped participants refocus on what truly drives well-being and success: our people, our workplaces, and our communities. During the event, we explored practical strategies for strengthening employee health, workplace culture, and community connections.

PRESENTATIONS

Stronger People: Michelle Ihmels, Intermountain Health, Caregiver Be Well Director 

Building Wellness from the Inside Out

This session explored critical role of self-care and why taking care of yourself is the foundation for helping others on their wellbeing journey. Michelle highlighted Intermountain Health's programs designed to support personal well-being and show how these resources can be scaled for organizations of any size to create a culture of wellness for employees.

Stronger Workplaces: Brittany Parry, Salt Lake County, Employee Wellness Coordinator

When Culture Becomes the Wellness Strategy

From perks to practice, wellness programs don't fail because they're poorly designed, they fail when workplace culture doesn't support them. Brittany broke down the real drivers of culture, including leadership behaviors, organizational norms, and the systems that shape daily work.  

Stronger Communities: Kim Johnson, Davis School District,  Employee Wellness Coordinator 

From Burnout to Belonging

In a time of rising burnout and disconnection, stronger communities may be one of our most powerful solutions. Kim explored how community engagement, volunteering, and meaningful connection can restore purpose, strengthen workplaces, and help people move from burnout to belonging. 

SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS

A big thank you to all our sponsors and exhibitors who made this Event possible! We appreciate those who spoke and tabled at our event. We're proud to partner with organizations who share our mission of making Utah a healthier place to live.

To get designated as a Healthy Utah Community, communities have to complete 1-3 healthy food access strategies depending on their population. One of the most favored healthy food strategies pursued by cities and towns is the community garden Thirty-three designated communities have established a community garden.* It is a cost-effective, community-beautifying initiative that improves access to healthy food. 

What is a Community Garden?

“At its most basic, a community garden is any outdoor space available in a community for growing vegetables, fruit, and/or flowers.” (Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine). 

Your community garden can be city-maintained, offer small plots up to community members, or some combination of both. Vegetables, fruits, herbs, and whatever else you decide to grow can go to members who are maintaining plots, or the produce can be donated to local homeless shelters or food pantries, who are often lacking healthy food resources. What best fits your community’s needs should be the shape your community garden takes.

Why is it important?

When you build a community garden in your city or town, your residents will profit from better access to healthy food and community building opportunities. 

Access to Healthy Food: 

Multiple studies found that community gardens, on average, produce double the amount of vegetables per square foot compared to conventional farming (M. Bonde, C. Bornstein, R. Goins, C. Twiggs, University of Minnesota). A different study conducted in Flint Michigan found that adults participating in a community garden were 3.5 times more likely than nonparticipants to consume the recommended services of fruits and vegetables. Not only do community gardens provide free or low-cost nutritious food to community members, but they do it efficiently. Delivering Community Benefit considers the followings some key takeaways from a community garden:

Community Building:

A large community-building aspect of community gardens is beautification; cultivating a community garden in vacant lots can reduce scattered garbage or other hazardous materials that sometimes end up in empty lots. Instead, these spaces become beautiful spaces where community members and nature alike want to spend time. According to the USDA, there is an economic multiplier of 1.66 for every dollar spent on local food, so community gardens can actually boost your local economy if local farms/farmers/farmer’s markets get involved in the project. Community gardens “provides participants with additional income, enables growers to expand and diversify their production, and makes more fresh fruits and vegetables available to the community” (Delivering Community Benefit: Healthy food playbook). 

How do You Do It? 

As a part of city government, here are some action items to start:

With these ideas in mind, you can develop a community garden following these steps: 

Step 1-4: Get community buy-in and build your community garden leadership team

Tapping into your health coalition is a great way to find support in starting and maintaining a successful community garden. Discuss responsibilities of each coalition member, including plot maintenance, seed acquisition and planting, marketing, and produce distribution. Pull in volunteers from the community for increased community investment and extended capacity. 

Step 5: Select the space

There are two main types of a community garden: Allotment and Communal. 

Once you have determined what type of community garden will work best for your community, dedicate a plot for the project. A great piece of land for a community garden has the following attributes: 

• Gets six-to-eight hours of sun each day
• Sit relatively flat
• Have only manageable debris (can be removed by volunteers with basic tools)
• Be in a central location
• Have access to water and good drainage!
• A site without paving and soil relatively free of trash and debris is best
  • You can also start a raised-bed or container community garden in a paved or concrete space if that’s what is available to your community. 

Keep in mind if community members use the plot for any other purpose, such as for play or a path or a gathering place. Incorporate these other uses if you can. You will also need a shed for gardening tools and supplies (approach businesses and appeal to the community to see if you can get items donated!) 

Step 6: Create Guidelines

Garden guidelines create clear expectations for garden use. Use your community garden leadership (recommended: healthy coalition) to regularly update and amend as needed. To start:

Involve community members in this process where possible! That will give them a sense of ownership and pride in the garden. Also, create a sign-up process for community members, whether that’s for individual plot use or general garden management volunteering (weeding, tool/supply tracking and upkeep, harvesting, etc). 

Note on pesticide use: If you want to reduce pests without pesticides, grow bright flowers alongside produce. The bright flowers will attract bigger insects that will keep plant-eating pests away (SeedMoney). 

Step 7: Grow Partnerships

Connect with local businesses and organizations to establish sustainability in your community garden. These partners can donate tools, seeds, soil, fertilizer, and even time to increase your garden’s chance for success. 

Connecting with University extensions and garden-based organizations is a great way to educate community members on gardening techniques and what to do with the produce once it has been harvested (cleaning and cooking with fresh produce, preserving, etc.). Students looking for volunteer opportunities can also be a great avenue for expanding your capacity. 

Step 8: Play in the dirt

A community garden can be more than just a place to garden! Encouraging events in or near the garden really brings in the community connection and mental wellness aspects of the project. Some events and opportunities you can offer through the garden: 

• Seed swaps
• Garden tours
• Fresh-food potlucks
• Gardening workshops/classes
• Volunteer appreciation 

Step 9: Evaluate the harvest

So, you’ve set the garden up. You’ve got the space ready, the supplies donated, the volunteers ready. But what should you grow? And how often should you ask yourself that question? 

Lean on your community to determine what produce will be used the most. Open polls or surveys, or have options for input at a city townhall to see what vegetables, fruits, and herbs community members want and need the most.

Once a year, community garden leaders should evaluate the community garden’s health and progress. According to the N.C. A&T State University Cooperative Extension, some things you might consider when evaluating your garden are: 

• What needs did we address by having this garden?
• How did people feel when they came to the garden? 
• Did the foods we grow change any eating habits?
• Was there more access to fresh fruits and vegetables? 
• If we sold produce, did we make any money?
• What challenges did we encounter? 
• What factors may have affected the garden's outcome (weather, location, lack of help)?
• What skills do we need to be more success with our garden? 

Step 10: Celebrate!

Fall harvests are a great way to bring everyone together to reap the rewards of all their hard work. Find ways to celebrate and appreciate community garden leaders and volunteers. Collect success and impact stories. 

NOTE: As you work through this list, Community FRESH: A guide to growing community gardens has checklists for each step to help you get the most out of your community garden!

Why Focus on Healthy Food Access

Access to affordable, nutritious food is essential to the health and wellbeing of Utahns. Communities with limited access to healthy food experience higher rates of chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease, as well as increased healthcare costs and decreased quality of life. Food environments shaped by income, geography, transportation, and affordability barriers disproportionately affect communities with limited access to healthy food, including low-income communities and older adults. 

Utah cities and towns play an important role in shaping local food environments through policies, programs, land use decisions, and partnerships. However, many municipalities report limited funding, expertise, and support to address healthy food access effectively. 

Resources

*These are designated communities of varying populations that have successfully implemented a community garden. Reach out to them to see if they can share their tips and tricks:

1. Annabella Town
2. Price City
3. Logan City

Wasatch Community Gardens

• Local organization whose mission is empowering people to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. 

Improve access through community gardens 

• Pamphlet on how community gardens tackle food insecurity and lists action items for City Board Members.

Public health benefits of a community garden 

• Resources for beginning a garden (organization, types of seeds, etc), and the public healthy benefits of community gardens, such as access to local, healthy food, community beautification, educational opportunities, and an enhanced sense of community.

Community Gardens and Farms

• Describes how community gardens contribute to healthy communities, including food access, education, sense of community, and safer neighborhoods. This source also details how hospital communities can get involved with starting and maintaining community gardens.

Community Gardening Resources 

• Outlines the benefits of community gardens, how to find gardens near you, ways to start and maintain a garden, and provides a list of external resources. 

American Community Gardening Association

• Resource hub for all things community gardens. 
• ACGA Resources for starting a community garden

Community Garden Start-Up Guide from Fargo City 

• This “Community Garden Start-Up Guide” is intended to help interested parties start and sustain a community garden. It also includes worksheets and sample forms and letters, including marketing materials, volunteer agreements, and donation letters.

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps: Community gardens 

• Bullet points of expected and potential benefits, research about effectiveness, and implementation examples/resources.

Is your city or town on the path to being a Healthy Utah Community?

Apply here 

Reach out to our program coordinator, Emma, to learn more about the designation and get guidance on the application process: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Get Healthy Utah staff had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Growing Stronger Communities: Sustainable Agriculture for Nutrition Security in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was hosted by Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, which is a model example of a food bank with a farm and agricultural programs to nourish communities. At the conference, one thing was clear: healthy food access thrives when communities lead the way, plan strategically, and work together. Utah has a real opportunity to grow more of our own food, strengthen local systems, and empower communities to be more self-sufficient. Here are some takeaways from the conference:

Community-Led Solutions Work

The most successful programs are built with the community, not for them. From church-run “food is medicine” programs to neighborhood and school gardens, lasting impact happens when residents co-create solutions and have the tools, space, and support they need to sustain them.

Strategies for Healthy Food Access

Cities and communities can consider approaches like:

• Community and school gardens, including accessible and communal plots
• Food bank and partner farms with volunteer support
• Seed libraries and plant swap programs
• Farm-to-food-bank partnerships that support local farmers and reduce waste
• Workforce development programs in agriculture
• Shared tools, equipment, and resources
• Land access and mentorship programs for beginning farmers

These strategies build more than food—they strengthen skills, leadership, and resilience in communities.

Partnerships Multiply Impact

Schools, nonprofits, churches, universities, farmers, and city partners all bring unique strengths. By collaborating, communities can create local food systems that are sustainable, equitable, and rooted in shared purpose.

The Opportunity for Utah

Utah can lead the way in self-sustaining communities that grow, share, and thrive together. By investing in local food systems, empowering residents, and connecting partners, we can create a future where healthy food is accessible, communities are resilient, and Utah grows more of its own food locally.

Healthy communities grow from the ground up. When we plan, partner, and invest in local solutions, we build systems that last—and Utah is ready to do just that.

Get Healthy Utah, together with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, is pleased to announce that three Healthy Utah Communities have earned their redesignation this fall: Ephraim, Layton, and North Salt Lake. Check out this video to learn more!

Ephraim

Redesignated in Fall 2025, Ephraim focused its efforts on expanding active living opportunities for residents and visitors. The city upgraded a rugged, rocky trail by removing large stones and filling in potholes, transforming it into a smooth, bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly route. Running alongside the local disc golf course, the improved trail now sees more frequent use and supports a more active community lifestyle.

Layton

Layton’s 2025 redesignation highlights the city’s deepening commitment to employee wellness, food security, and mental health. Through its “Wellable” Wellness Program, the city expanded opportunities for employees and their families to engage in physical activity and adopt healthier daily habits. Layton also bolstered support for the Open Doors Food Bank, helping ensure that local families facing hardship have access to emergency food resources. To strengthen mental well-being, the city introduced CredibleMind, a confidential resource platform offering tools to help employees navigate stress, sleep, relationships, and overall mental health.

North Salt Lake

North Salt Lake’s Fall 2025 redesignation reflects wide-ranging progress in active living, employee wellness, and mental health support. The city encouraged residents to explore local trails by organizing quarterly community walks and hikes, and it reinforced long-term commitments to walkability and active transportation by integrating these priorities into its general plan. City employees benefited from expanded wellness initiatives, which earned North Salt Lake PEHP recognition for three consecutive years. To promote mental health and safety, the city enhanced public awareness of safe medication disposal through its police department and increased mental health and suicide-prevention training for first responders.