It’s harvest time at the city of Springfield’s community gardens, and a new SIU Medicine program has produced some robust results. SIU’s Office of Community Care (OCC) launched ‘Operation Taproot’ earlier this summer to provide fresh vegetables and herbs for residents in neighborhoods around the Mid-Illinois Medical District, while offering new routes for communication and access to care. Community health worker Kaye Barnes designed and spearheaded the project to raise awareness of nutrition and health services available within Springfield. As the crops matured, she and teammates have been