You’ve probably heard of John Paul Mitchell Systems or purchased one of their beauty products. I bet you weren’t aware that the CEO and co-founder, John Paul DeJoria, is a sponsor of “The Appalachian Community Gardening and Food Security Project.” For those that don’t know “Appalachia is a 205,000-square-mile region that follows the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi. It includes all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other states.” In 2010, John Paul DeJoria founded Grow Appalachia, “a non-profit initiative that helps Appalachian families plant a healthy future.”

DeJoria is “a businessman who had surmounted enormous odds in the process of building a very large business organization.”  He’s a man who believes strongly that, “success not shared is failure.” Among his many philanthropic activities he tackled the problem of hunger head on in Africa. Over time he came to believe that it was “time to address hunger and food security issues in the US.” Given the size of the area known as Appalachia, you can understand the magnitude of the hunger issue they were trying to combat. The basic goal of “Grow Appalachia” is to try and solve the hunger issue by teaching people how to grow their own food. This is a simple lesson that many of us can take away from the project.

Last year the program strived to “provide skills and resources needed to grow sustainable, nutritious food.” They wanted “healthy food preparation and preservation.” This was so people knew nutritious ways to not only prepare their harvest in season, but help to make it last somewhat through the winter months. These were only a few of the programs goals, which also included bringing produce to the elderly as well as disabled people, and starting farmer’s markets. In 2010 the program made great progress as “nearly 100 families have planted their own gardens; four community gardens have been planted in Eastern Kentucky; an estimated 60,760 pounds of food have been harvested; and more than 1,000 people have received fresh, high-quality vegetables.”

Part of the hunger problem is that healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits are often more expensive than fast-food alternatives, therefore making them unattainable. It’s a sad reality, but a family can buy more calories per dollar when they are buying unhealthy take-away foods. So cost factors can force people to eat an unhealthy diet, as cost is a key factor for many families. By allowing the people living in Appalachian communities to grow their own vegetables it not only gets them in a healthy eating mindset, but allows fruits and vegetables to be readily available for a fraction of the cost. Beyond that, the program gives dignity and respect to those involved, as they are an integral part of the programs success. Attempting to find a sustainable solution to help fight poverty and hunger in this area is an admirable feat. Perhaps other companies will take note and begin similar programs.

Check out this youtube video for coverage on Grow Appalachia from Forbes with John Paul DeJoria