03/28/2022
Across Centura, incredible women are leading the way on our mission to build whole person care and flourishing communities. Meet Heather Grady, whose job title is Informatics and Training Analyst Lead but whose passion for urban gardening brings healing to her community in the form of healthy foods.
“It started as a way to sustainably landscape our backyard, but once we discovered how much food we could grow (more than enough for us and our friends and family), we started looking for ways we could donate it to our community,” Heather says. “We live in a food desert with a big senior population, and our neighborhood lacks an accessible grocery store. We were able to find a local organization that directs our food donations to a senior housing community in our neighborhood.”
Heather’s dad was a chef and her grandmother, 93 years young, still wins fair ribbons for her homemade jam, so food has always been particularly special to her. She says it’s fulfilling to share with others the foods she grows, and that she’s learned a lot about her fellow community members and what impacts them.
“At minimum, people have a fundamental right to fresh, healthy and culturally appropriate food. Sitting down and listening to people from the community has provided insight about what access to culturally relevant food means; getting ingredients to people that are familiar to their culture is one way we can promote inclusion.”
Heather is a member of two of Centura’s Diversity & Inclusion committees. She says promoting equity in the health care system and food system are about the same basic thing: dignity.
Thank you, Heather, for playing an integral role in our health ministry and in your community. As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, we are inspired by women like you and the incredible impact you have!
