Be a Community Champion - Nutritious Choices for Early Childcare Providers
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EmailJuly 16, 2026
Meet More Community ChampionsMary Turner is a licensed child care provider and owner of Mimi's House Family Child Care in Lansing, Michigan, where she has served children and families for more than 20 years. Wanting children to understand where food comes from and develop healthy habits early in life, she began incorporating gardening into her child care program.
What started with a few containers and a small garden bed grew into a larger gardening effort with support from the Growing Healthy Eaters program through MSU Extension and other community resources. Children help grow fruits and vegetables, learn how food is produced and have opportunities to taste foods they may not otherwise try.
Through hands-on gardening experiences, Mary helps children connect with nature, explore healthy foods and build habits that can last a lifetime.
