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119-hr-5255119th CongressWALLET

Thriving Community Gardens Act

Sponsored By: Representative Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]

Introduced

Summary

Allows Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant funds to be used to develop and maintain school and community gardens. It also directs the Department of Education to gather information from local education agencies that use SSAE funds for gardens and publish updated best practices on a public website.

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  • Students and families: Students can get more nutrition education and regular, structured physical activity tied to gardening, including chronic disease management instruction from nurses or other health professionals.
  • Schools and local education agencies: Schools may spend existing SSAE grant dollars to build and maintain school or community gardens, creating hands-on learning spaces.
  • Department of Education and practitioners: The Department must collect program examples, identify what works, and post regularly updated best practices online for schools to use.

*Does not authorize new funding or change existing program funding levels.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

School funds for gardens and health

This bill would let schools use existing federal Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants for school or community gardens. It would also allow those funds for nutrition classes and regular, structured physical education, including disease management lessons taught by school nurses or nurse practitioners. The Education Department would gather results from districts that use funds for gardens, post best practices online, and update them. It would not add new grant dollars; districts would choose whether to use current funds this way. If your district gets these grants and opts in, your child’s school could start or expand a garden and health programs.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]

OH • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 9/10/2025

  • Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]

    VI • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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