Top 10 CNN Hero Rev. Richard Joyner is leading his rural North Carolina community to better health by helping young people grow and distribute fresh food.
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Conetoe, North Carolina -- population 300 -- lies an hour east of Raleigh. The town is surrounded by farmland, but the nearest grocery store is 10 miles away, making it one of the country's many "food deserts."
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Now more than 80 young people help Joyner plan, plant and harvest nearly 50,000 pounds of fresh food a year. Much of this produce is given away to local residents.
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His nonprofit, the Conetoe Family Life Center, manages more than 20 plots of land, including one 25-acre site.
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The students also sell the food -- including their own brand of honey -- to businesses and restaurants, raising money for school supplies and scholarships.
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The children also learn how to cook the food in a nutritious way, steering their families toward better choices at home. As a result, many people are now reaping the benefits of Joyner's efforts. Emergency room visits are down, and the community as a whole is healthier.
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Joyner started his efforts after watching many of his parishioners die from preventable diseases. "Diabetes, high blood pressure -- when we first got started, we counted 30 funerals in one year," Joyner said. "I couldn't ignore it."
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Joyner: "Growing food calls us to work together," he said. "By nourishing plants, you're nourishing community. It's one and the same."
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When Joyner first started, he did not like farming. "I didn't have a good experience with the soil growing up. My family, we were sharecroppers. ... For me, working in the garden has been a healing place."
