Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Community Gardening and Nutrition 
Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) A community garden improves the quality of life, 
        encourages self-reliance, produces highly nutritious food, 
        reduces family food budgets, and creates opportunities for 
        recreation, social interaction, exercise, education, and 
        economic development for people participating in the garden.
            (2) The creation of community gardens has been an effective 
        approach to cleaning up and maintaining abandoned vacant lots.
            (3) Many community gardens donate fresh fruits and 
        vegetables to local food pantries, cooperatives, and homeless 
        members of the community, and provide for a source of fresh 
        fruits and vegetables for participants of the gardens.
            (4) An August 2013 report by the Union of Concerned 
        Scientists entitled ``The $11 Trillion Reward'' concluded that 
        if Americans were to eat 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of 
        fruit daily, as recommended by Federal dietary guidelines, 
        nearly 130,000 deaths could be prevented and $17 billion could 
        be saved in medical costs.
            (5) The Department of Health and Human Services recommends 
        eating more dark green vegetables, legumes, and fruits; and 
        eating fewer refined grains, less fat, and fewer calories.
            (6) A 2010 review of the Nutritional Implications of 
        Farmers' Markets and Community Gardens published by the Journal 
        of the American Dietetic Association found that community 
        gardens promote healthy behaviors.
            (7) A 2011 pilot study entitled ``LA Sprouts'' published by 
        the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that 
        teaching gardening and nutrition improved the dietary intakes 
        of children and reduced childhood obesity.

SEC. 3. COMMUNITY GARDEN PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Purpose.--Section 103(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act 
of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4953(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (12) by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (13) by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(14) in establishing initiatives that address the health 
        and nutrition of individuals in low-income and underserved 
        communities, including by--
                    ``(A) creating new community gardens and supporting 
                and expanding existing community gardens;
                    ``(B) recruiting local community members to 
                actively engage in community gardens and gardening 
                projects;
                    ``(C) transforming vacant places into community 
                garden plots;
                    ``(D) increasing access for community members to 
                healthy foods and local foods while also encouraging 
                community members to stay active;
                    ``(E) expanding anti-poverty efforts by teaching 
                basic nutrition and self-reliance through community 
                gardening programs; and
                    ``(F) developing initiatives that increase access 
                to healthy, locally grown foods for the community at 
                large.''.
    (b) Establishment.--Part A of title I of such Act (42 U.S.C. 4951 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 110. COMMUNITY GARDEN PILOT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) The Director shall establish a Community Garden Pilot Program 
for the purpose of carrying out the work described under section 
103(a)(14). In conducting the Program, the Director shall carry out no 
less than 40 projects.
    ``(b) In carrying out the Program established under subsection (a), 
the Director shall give priority to--
            ``(1) volunteers with experience in health, nutrition, and 
        gardening;
            ``(2) projects located in varied geographic regions; and
            ``(3) selecting a balance of urban and rural projects.''.
    (c) Authorization.--Section 501(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5081(a)) 
is amended by--
            (1) redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
            (2) inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Community garden pilot program.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out section 110 of part A of title 
        I $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and such sums shall remain 
        available until expended.''.
    (d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 4950) is amended by adding after the item relating 
to section 109 the following new item:

``Sec. 110. Community Garden Pilot Program.''.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not later than 90 days after the completion of the Community Garden 
Pilot Program established under section 110(a) of the Domestic 
Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951(a)), the Assistant 
Director appointed pursuant to section 194(d)(1)(A) of the National and 
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12651e(d)(1)(A)), shall submit 
to Congress a report containing--
            (1) a description of the projects and volunteer placements 
        under the Program;
            (2) results and analysis of completed projects under the 
        Program; and
            (3) any recommendations for continuation of the Program.

Summary: Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014 - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to require the Director of the Corporation for National and Community Service to establish a Community Garden Pilot Program under the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program. Requires the Program to address the health and nutrition of individuals in low-income and underserved communities through activities that include:  creating new community gardens and supporting and expanding existing community gardens; recruiting local community members to actively engage in community gardens and gardening projects; transforming vacant places into community garden plots; increasing community members' access to healthy foods and local foods while also encouraging them to stay active; expanding anti-poverty efforts by teaching basic nutrition and self-reliance through community gardening; and developing initiatives that increase the community's access to healthy, locally grown foods.  Requires the Director to carry out at least 40 projects under the Program. Requires the Director to give priority to: (1) volunteers with experience in health, nutrition, and gardening; (2) projects located in varied geographic regions; and (3) selecting a balance of urban and rural projects.