Garden Project

Fostering mindful eating, recreational activity, and community engagement.

This program represents not only a cost-saving measure, but also a way for its community to be able to access produce that may be unavailable in a conventional grocery store. As such, this program allows for the preparation of numerous ethnic dishes at the Center that may involve products such as collard greens, cải cúc (chrysanthemum), hoa điên điển (an edible flower), squashes, and dưa gang (melon). Dưa gang in particular originates from Vietnam and can be eaten raw or pickled. In addition, the Center also grows many kinds THE ESSENTIAL CENTER 2022 30 of fruit such as persimmons, pears, bananas and gấc (a fruit originating from Vietnam with very high anti-oxidant content).

The Community Garden is part of an effort by the Center to promote good nutrition for its members. Diet is one of the most important aspects of healthy living and can have far-reaching implications on almost any facet of health, from digestive issues to cancer prevention.