Baylor Receives $938,141 EPA Grant to Advance Food Security and Climate Resilience Initiatives in Waco’s Underserved Communities
Baylor is part of a larger $17.9 million EPA Community Change grant awarded to local nonprofits and the City of Waco
The Baylor Community Garden is a vital part of Baylor’s broader sustainability and community engagement initiatives, especially in partnership with underserved Waco communities by serving as a dynamic, hands-on lab for interdisciplinary environmental education and community service. (Photo credit: Joshua King)
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Baylor University has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) to drive transformative local initiatives aimed at bolstering food security, advancing sustainable agriculture and enhancing climate resilience in Waco’s underserved communities.
The $938,141 grant is part of a larger $17.9 million EPA Community Change grant awarded to local Waco nonprofits, led by Missions Waco Mission World, and the City of Waco to support comprehensive community and place-based approaches to addressing environmental and climate challenges for communities facing legacy pollution, climate change and persistent disinvestment. Additional partners on the grant include the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, Mission Waco’s Urban REAP, World Hunger Relief Institute and Family of Faith Worship Center, whose concentrated local investments will fund community-driven, change-making projects that center collaborative efforts for healthier, safer and more prosperous communities.
Baylor will use its portion of the grant to support an interdisciplinary approach that will mobilize the University’s resources and partnerships to address urgent environmental and social challenges. Through a collaborative and innovative approach, Baylor faculty from the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, School of Education, Environmental Humanities minor and community programs aim to regenerate local food systems, reduce waste and combat climate change with the involvement and leadership of the education and faith communities.
The project is led by co-principal investigators Stephanie Boddie, Ph.D., associate professor of Church and Community Ministries in the School of Social Work; Joshua King, Ph.D., professor of English and director of Environmental Humanities Minor; and Kevin Magill, Ph.D., associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education. In collaboration with the Sustainable Community and Regenerative Agriculture Project (SCRAP), the team will implement initiatives that integrate composting and community gardening to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting local, regenerative food systems.
“This grant is an opportunity to address the high rate of food insecurity in Waco, the disproportionate health care cost related to food insecurity in the county and the significant amount of food waste placed in the landfill each year,” Boddie said. “Through the creation of a city, campus, and community ecosystem of urban gardens, farms and educational programs, food security will be promoted, community health will be improved, landfill emissions will be reduced and community residents can reclaim ownership of their local food system among Waco's diverse populations.”
Over the next three years, these four Baylor University initiatives will be advanced through grant support.
Community Garden Manager and Urban Agriculture Outreach Staff
The establishment of a permanent Community Garden Manager role, with support from the new Senior Director of Sustainability, will oversee the Baylor Community Garden (BCG), a key program for community engagement and environmental education. This role will integrate food justice efforts into Baylor’s broader sustainability and community engagement initiatives, especially in partnership with underserved Waco communities. In the past year, in collaboration with SCRAP, the BCG has transformed into a dynamic, hands-on lab for interdisciplinary environmental education and community service. This initiative raises awareness of food insecurity and actively engages students in tackling hunger and promoting climate resilience through local regenerative agriculture. The project’s renewal has been driven by a SCRAP Project Manager, working closely with King and the Environmental Humanities minor program.
Outreach Partnerships with Schools and Faith Communities
Building upon existing programs such as the Growing Leaders and Learners Project, Boddie and Magill will oversee the expansion of education programs and gardening projects in underserved communities across the city through local schools and faith-based organizations. As youth and community members learn more about regenerative agriculture, food security and climate resilience, they can engage in micro-business opportunities and build skills that support self-sufficiency. The initiative also includes expanding and supporting compost and garden projects in at least eight local schools, partnering with social service agencies and congregations to reach underserved neighborhoods in food deserts. In addition, new programs will involve children and youth in gardening, composting and related activities, including opportunities for micro-business development.
Student-Led Community Engagement Projects
Under King’s direction, Baylor students will collaborate with community partners through classes and directed projects to address food insecurity and climate resilience in underserved Waco communities. Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) and Office of External Affairs (OEA) will guide this program, ensuring student projects meet real community needs and foster meaningful partnerships. In addition, the OEL also oversees Baylor’s new Engaged Learning courses, which are a common requirement for all undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences. King has closely collaborated with the OEL in developing courses within the Environmental Humanities minor, spanning over 20 departments across the university.
Mayborn Museum Exhibit on Food Systems and Community Resilience:
In partnership with the Mayborn Museum, a Smithsonian-affiliated institution, Baylor will contribute to a new exhibit highlighting the impacts of unjust food systems and the resilience of Waco’s communities. This exhibit will showcase local food justice efforts, bringing attention to urban agriculture and the power of community-led initiatives. Through interactive displays and stories from residents, the exhibit aims to educate the public on how sustainable food systems can combat food insecurity and environmental injustice.
This initiative aligns with Baylor’s commitment to environmental stewardship, community engagement and immersive learning, as well as its vision to foster resilient and equitable solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. By combining academic resources, community engagement and sustainable practices, Baylor University’s efforts will empower Waco’s underserved neighborhoods to create a healthier, more resilient future.
“Baylor’s S.C.R.A.P. research and teaching components exemplify the interdisciplinary efforts of the Baylor in Deeds strategic plan by bridging disciplines like social work, education, English and environmental humanities through collaborative work and creating a living laboratory for faculty and students to address real-world challenges,” Boddie said. “This interdisciplinary partnership provides a platform for faculty to contribute to innovative and creative solutions while also cultivating an awareness of local knowledge, indigenous problem-solving and collective wisdom.”
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.