2018-19 Project
Food Grows Community Inter-generational “Elder Lunch” Project
In partnership with Reality Kitchen, Zaniyan provides a free organic lunch for River Road neighborhood Elders and guests while interacting with each other and the Reality Kitchen students. Our Director of Health and Wellness, Michael Vasquez, has planted a large organic garden on donated land in the neighborhood to produce food for the weekly lunches. Volunteers from across the community gather and contribute time and talents to harvest and help prepare food.
Zaniyan’s goal is to promote food sovereignty and the education that is needed to develop self-reliant communities. We create opportunities for inter-generational experiential learning. This project increases neighborhood social capital and caring. The convergence of organic food grown within a few miles, together with enthusiastic volunteers and young adults in conversation with elders, has created a lively and growing community worlds away from institutionalized free lunch programs.