Project EMMA  was a program that ran from 2007-2009, thanks to the generous support of Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

Contact the Council on Aging of Buncombe County for information on ongoing programs for seniors. 

View a short video about Project EMMA. 

ASAP Partnership Serves Seniors

When you’re downtown Asheville, you probably don’t realize you’re underneath a garden growing beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad mix, radishes, lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, basil, nasturtiums, and more, but you are. Look up to the tallest building you can see—Battery Park Apartments—there’s a beautiful garden on its roof.

This garden exists thanks to ASAP’s partnership with the Council on Aging of Buncombe County. Called Project EMMA (Eat better, Move More, Age well), this partnership provides access to local food and new opportunities for exercise to older adults in the community. Project EMMA is funded by a grant awarded to the Council on Aging by Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC Foundation. ASAP’s role as a partner in the project is to facilitate increased access to local food for residents of two downtown apartment buildings and clients of the Council on Aging’s Senior Meal Program, while the YWCA facilitates exercise opportunities for seniors.

In addition to weekly activities at the Roof Garden at Battery Park Apartments, including tea and pesto making, ASAP is connecting older adults with fresh, local food in a variety of ways. The Buncombe County Child Services kitchen, which is contracted to prepare the meals for the Council on Aging’s six Senior Meal sites around the county, is now incorporating local produce from Madison Farms into their meal preparation for seniors.

Walking trips to downtown tailgate markets provide an opportunity for seniors to get out for exercise while feasting (with their eyes and appetites) on the local produce available. Farm field trips will directly connect participants with where food is grown, not to mention memories that many have of living on farms. Nutrition talks and simple cooking demonstrations also make eating more fruits and vegetables easy and worthwhile.

The partnership is working to bring the USDA Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to Buncombe County, providing vouchers for qualifying seniors to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at local tailgate markets.