This story comes from Heather Dockray at Good magazine (by way of the Huffington Post). It’s about a life-affirming project in Atlanta.
“Good, local, nutritious food shouldn’t be expensive,” she writes, “and shouldn’t only be enjoyed by people who can afford it. A homeless shelter in Atlanta decided that their residents desperately needed access to healthy food — but instead of sourcing out, encouraged residents to grow their own. Now, the shelter is home to a huge rooftop garden planted by the residents themselves, which is expected to yield hundreds of pounds of great quality greens. …
“While eating discounted snacks might give homeless residents short-term financial benefits, the long-term health consequences are substantial. The Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, who runs the gardening program, wanted to give homeless people access to food previously considered out-of-reach. Now, residents are responsible for 80 garden beds, producing kale, carrots, chard, and squash, among other vegetables.” More here.
Dockray doesn’t mention how gardening and donating to the shelter makes residents feel, but I am going to guess it builds their self image and confidence.
Photo: Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
This is really nice–the issues of food and access and poverty are so complex. It makes some sense to give the homeless a sense of dignity by letting them provide for themselves in some small ways.
Most people who experience homelessness only do so for a short period anyway. But I think it must be pretty soul-crushing. My friend Meg, who loves to run has run with a changing group of homeless people for years and has touching stories about what running can do for folks.