At Olivewood Gardens, we are dedicated to providing tools and resources for our community in the most equitable way. Representation is key, and in National City, 63% of residents identify as Latinx or Hispanic, and Spanish is the most widely spoken language. We believe that a community should reflect its members, and have been finding ways to create more equitable practices within our programs.

With the help of the meticulous translator, Marianne Gerhard López Portillo, we were able to launch Olivewood's website in Spanish in December! Along with a Kitchenista® portal for our Cooking for Salud® graduates to stay up-to-date, we now have Spanish facilitator guides to use in programming, and just completed our first bilingual virtual cooking class with Kitchenista & Chef Aureny Aranda and translation from Annete Ancira!

Since 2017, Olivewood has partnered with The San Diego Association of Governments to participate on the 2021 Regional Plan Social Equity Working Group ascertain the needs of the community of National City. Coinciding with Olivewood's vision, SANDAG's goals are to promote equitable distribution of benefits and quality of life for San Diego residents.

With the most recent San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan, Olivewood has partnered with SANDAG to collect data and engage residents in the process of decision making. In representing the residents of National City and working with other Community Based Organizations in the county, we are helping to advise and suggest better & more equitable practices on transportation and overall quality of life for our community! In fact, feedback from Olivewood and other Community Based Organizations has helped to inform SANDAG's latest commitments to prioritizing equity in all resource and planning decision-making.

We are thrilled to announce our continued partnership with all 10 schools of National School District with 60-minute virtual field trip sessions. Focusing on garden and nutrition science education, each lesson follows Next Generation Science & California Health Standards.

Along with working with Dimensions Collaborative School for virtual field trips, we are ecstatic to continue providing relevant garden science and nutrition virtually to keep our kids adventurous!

Join us for a Virtual Valentine's Day Brunch led by Chef Christina Ng of Chinita's Pies and Berry Good Food. Cook alongside your sweetheart in the comfort of your home while Chef Christina leads a three-course, interactive cooking class as a special way to celebrate your love this year.

You'll have the option to purchase an ingredient kit with produce and ingredients for a garden-inspired cocktail, or elevate your experience with a romantic package including a Mexican zarape, candle, herb bouquet from the gardens, and a Kitchenista-made Valentine's Day card!

Join our Executive Director, Jen Nation for a virtual walking tour of Olivewood Gardens and a sit-down Q & A for an opportunity to learn more about the in's and out's of our programs!

by Seth M. Holmes

Mid-Read Discussion: Thursday, January 28th, 5:30PM

Post-Read Discussion: Thursday, February 25th, 5:30PM

The journey to wellness can start anywhere, and creating a culture of health within your organization can give staff the tools they need to thrive in and outside of the workplace. Whether your goal is team-building or establishing a culture of wellness, Olivewood has the class for you.

Sign your organization up for a virtual cooking class with a theme of your choice to start your journey alongside us!

Roots, are the lifeline of a plant, taking up air, water, and nutrients from the soil to support the livelihood of precious ecosystems.

In becoming a member of Roots for Health, you will be joining a passionate network which is essential to ensuring food security, nutrition education, and environmental stewardship for our community.

Looking for another way to help? Check out our Amazon Wishlist HERE!