The Mission of Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center is to inspire youth and adults to be healthy and active citizens through organic gardening, environmental stewardship, and nutrition education.

We're starting this new Olivewood Quarterly: Impact in Action newsletter series to keep our supporters informed of what's happening at the Gardens, to share inspiring stories of what your support makes possible , and to stay connected and in community. We are so grateful for you and want to be sure you know it!
Produce Stand pictures photo credit: Mary Ann Beyster
"You do not know how much your personal call means to us at this moment, to hear your voice and know that Olivewood Gardens is checking in, means a lot to us”

-11th Generation Kitchenista, from Olivewood's Age Friendly Cooking for Salud®
Feeding the Community
Thanks to the generosity of people like you and a garden full of nutritious fruits and veggies, Olivewood has answered the call to connect people in need with healthy produce during this time. Our weekly donation-based produce stand is now serving a minimum of  60 families  weekly with pre-packaged bags of produce.   

Grab & Go Gardens
In collaboration with Healthy Day Partners and Nan Sterman, Waterwise Gardener, we are also providing seedling kits with planting instructions for families to start growing their own food at the Produce Stand.

Since March, we have provided over 1,300 pounds of produce for families, and we couldn't have done this without the selflessness and compassion ofsupporters like you!

Donate $25 today (or more!) to buy a produce bag for a local family!
Check out Olivewood's adventurous recipes HERE for some inspiration on using seasonal produce at home.
Olivewood Gardens & SensationsMD Facebook LIVE STREAM!

Join Olivewood's live stream discussion with one of our very own board members, Sabrina Falquier Montgrain, MD as she discusses how to reduce anxiety and eat healthy during this time. Check out her article about reducing COVID-19-related anxiety in the Washington Post!

Catch Sabrina HERE on our Facebook page
April 23, 2020 @ 12 - 12:30PM
Keeping Us Inspired
During difficult times as these, we find that it's important to seek encouragement and positive influences to motivate us. At Olivewood, our volunteers, supporters, and the families who have been impacted by our programs keep inspired, engaged, and dedicated, now more than ever.

Deborah, a 10th generation graduate of Olivewood's Cooking for Salud® Program, and avid long-time volunteer has created a Facebook page to connect fellow Kitchenistas. Balance,  was developed to be a space where individuals can find tips, activities, and uplifting ways to deal with stress and anxiety during this time, focusing on the importance of our mental and emotional health.
Another adventurous volunteer, Samantha, who spends her time at Olivewood helping with the Children's Field Trip Program, has been busy not wasting a thing!
She has mastered using leftover liquid from beans (Aquafaba) as an egg substitute and is utilizing dried fruit and veggie scraps to make flavored salts and sugars. She has inspired us to stay as resourceful as we can in the kitchen and aim for zero-waste!
"Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is."
-Ernest Hemingway
"Social Distance-Style" Soirée

With great sadness, yet great respect for the people who help make this event possible, we have decided to cancel the 2020 Seedling Soirée.

In order to protect the health of our community, we have re-developed our annual fundraising event into more intimate, program-oriented opportunities for Olivewood friends and supporters to participate and help build Olivewood's impact.

With adventurous offers like a Weekend Stay in the Olivewood Noyes House, a Kitchenista-led Tamale class , a day Sailing on the Bay , a 3-day stay in Mammoth , a tour of Tijuana with the International Community Foundation , or simply a donation, there's a little something for everyone.
Save the Date for the next Seedling Soirée!

Saturday May 22, 2021
5:00 pm - 9:30pm
Adventurous Eating with Olivewood Gardens:
A Healthy Cooking Series
With social distancing in full effect, the team at Olivewood has had to get creative in developing new ways to communicate, bond, and learn from each other.

Follow along with our Communications and Marketing Intern, Tressa , as she creates a delicious Loquat Cardamom Crumble . This is the perfect recipe for urban foraging right now and can easily be modified to use whatever you've got in your pantry!
Staying Sane

A San Diego Doctor's Tips for Getting Through the Covid-19 Crisis in a Healthy Way
Our friends at Edible San Diego featured a great article on Angie Neison, MD, a Family Medicine and Culinary Medicine Physician in San Diego County and colleague of Olivewood's board member, Sabrina Falquier Montgrain, MD . She has some tips for you for staying healthy in mind and body. 

  • Find fun, new, recipes!
  • Don't overwhelm yourself with news and media
  • And don't panic!

We are all largely impacted by this situation, so it's important to stay calm, be kind and compassionate, and stay healthy!
Support Olivewood's COVID-19 Relief Efforts

These are unprecedented times, and we are working hard to serve the needs of our community. Your gift today supports our efforts to provide healthy, pre-packaged produce & dry goods to community members in need, develop online educational tools & resources, and ensure our community's mental health & social participation needs are met through outreach & engagement.

Looking for another way to help? Check out our Amazon Wishlist HERE!
Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center | 2525 N Avenue | (619)434-4281 | [email protected]