FLOURISH
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This newsletter showcases the work that Nourish Wellness and volunteers have been doing from Fall 2023- Spring 2024.
From cooking healthy meals to
cultivating garden beds, sowing seeds, transplanting vegetables, harvesting produce and donating it,
Nourish Wellness and our volunteers have been quite busy!
FALL 2023
~ HARVESTING & DONATING PRODUCE ~
Susana Abdurahman accepting our donated collard greens on behalf of Merritt S.O.U.L. (Merritt College's food bank).
Merritt College's Basic Needs Coordinator, Susana Abdurahman, helps connect students with housing, food, and health services. When we asked if Merritt S.O.U.L. could use a donation of leafy greens, she said that fresh produce would be helpful and appreciated.
We were able to oblige and delivered leafy greens twice in the fall.
On one of these delivery days, we received a helping hand from a few Girl Scouts. They helped us harvest and drop off leafy greens and potatoes to Merritt S.O.U.L..
We were able to oblige and delivered leafy greens twice in the fall.
On one of these delivery days, we received a helping hand from a few Girl Scouts. They helped us harvest and drop off leafy greens and potatoes to Merritt S.O.U.L..
Girl Scouts harvesting produce to donate to Merritt S.O.U.L.
~ CULTIVATING BEDS ~
Nourish Wellness volunteers cultivated a garden bed and mixed in aged manure. They also formed paths around the bed for easier access when planting and harvesting food.
NW volunteers, Katerina and Sabine, prepping a garden bed.
WINTER 2024
~ HARVESTING & DONATING PRODUCE ~
On a few occasions, we donated bags of tree collards, kale, and chard to Mercy Retirement Center's Mercy Brown Bag Program. Mercy Brown Bag provides supplemental food for seniors with lower incomes.
NW's director harvesting collards
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Bags of our harvested leafy greens
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David Bolaños, Mercy Brown Bag's Operations Manager, and a co-worker/volunteer receiving bags of Nourish Wellness' leafy greens.
SPRING 2024
NW volunteer Gina & 2 of her children
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After helping their mother, Gina, volunteer and sow flower seeds, these young visitors learned about culinary herbs from Nia.
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~ GROWING FOOD ~
In the fall, volunteers sowed Ethiopian kale seed indoors in our work studio. In the beginning of the year, they transplanted the seedlings into 2” pots.
In early spring, after installing gopher cages, volunteers transplanted the Ethiopian kale into a garden bed. (These cages prevent gophers from eating the plants for dinner). Afterwards, they fertilized the plant starts. The garden bed was later mulched with straw, (for weed suppression and moisture retention).
In early spring, after installing gopher cages, volunteers transplanted the Ethiopian kale into a garden bed. (These cages prevent gophers from eating the plants for dinner). Afterwards, they fertilized the plant starts. The garden bed was later mulched with straw, (for weed suppression and moisture retention).
Volunteers, Katerina and Kristi, planting Ethiopian kale at NW mini-farm
Ethiopian kale seediings in a garden bed with straw mulch
~ HARVESTING & DONATING PRODUCE ~
In May, we harvested 9.5 bags of leafy greens to donate. We missed the drop off time for three of the programs we've donated to in the past. What to do, what to do.
We called around, but couldn't find a place that would receive produce at that time.
We then called 211, to find an organization that was willing to accept produce donations after 4p.m.. They referred CityTeam Oakland. After contacting CityTeam Oakland to inquire about their need(s), we headed over to their soup kitchen to give them kale, tree collards, and chard. The cooks thanked us, one of which said that the donation was right on time.
We called around, but couldn't find a place that would receive produce at that time.
We then called 211, to find an organization that was willing to accept produce donations after 4p.m.. They referred CityTeam Oakland. After contacting CityTeam Oakland to inquire about their need(s), we headed over to their soup kitchen to give them kale, tree collards, and chard. The cooks thanked us, one of which said that the donation was right on time.
~ CULTIVATING BEDS ~
Nourish Wellness Mini-Farm is still in a developmental stage. One of the tasks that we need the most help with is prepping garden beds. One of our volunteers recently cultivated and fertilized a garden bed. In a few weeks, we will put in gopher cages and plant more medicinal herbs.
NW volunteer Zashe' cultivating a garden bed
~ COOKING ~
Volunteer Katerina saw Nourish Wellness' sautéed chard recipe in our culinary blog.
She gave it a try, adding bright red tomatoes for color. She said it was delicious! :-)
She gave it a try, adding bright red tomatoes for color. She said it was delicious! :-)
Volunteer Katerina's chard & tomatoes dish
Volunteer support needed!
Volunteer Zashe' harvesting tree collards
Nourish Wellness needs assistance with:
* Weeding and cultivating garden beds
* Planting more greens
* Harvesting greens & veggies for donation
* Sheet mulching
* String trimming (weed whacking)
Please email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.
Put "Volunteer Support" in the subject line.
Put "Volunteer Support" in the subject line.
Nourish Wellness has tote bags and t-shirts for sale.
Please go to our FUNDRAISING PAGE for more details.
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Donations are appreciated. Any amount, small or large, can help Nourish Wellness continue to help others.
Funds will help pay for supplies, printing holiday meal brochures, and operating costs.
Nourish Wellness is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
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FLOURISH
Nourish Wellness Newsletter
Volume 1: Issue 8
Nourish Wellness Mini-Farm
Spring 2023
Nourish Wellness periodically donates leafy greens to Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, (GRIP). GRIP's chef, Chantel Toliver transforms our tree collards and kale into delicious, nutritious food for the program's clients.
Bagged leafy greens ready for donation (March 2023)
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Dinosaur kale
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Tree collards and kale
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Basket of mustard greens
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Bagged leafy greens ready for donation (April 2023)
Nourish Wellness Mini-Farm Volunteers
Summer 2023
Nailah, Ajani, Marley, Andwele, and Thandi harvesting baby potatoes (Summer 2023)
Merritt College Landscape Horticulture LH208B herb students, Kristi and Katerina, building an herb spiral on the mini-farm. (Summer 2023)
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Culinary herb spiral
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Produce and canned goods available for students and staff at Merritt S.O.U.L.'s food pantry.
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Merritt College's Basic Needs Coordinator, Susana Abdurahman (on the right), receiving leafy greens donation from Nourish Wellness' director, Nia Hill. (September 2023.)
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Volunteer support needed!
Nourish Wellness needs assistance with:
* Seed sowing
* Saving seeds
* Weeding garden beds
* Cultivating garden beds
* Planting more greens
* Harvesting greens & veggies for donation
* Sheet mulching
Nourish Wellness needs assistance with:
* Seed sowing
* Saving seeds
* Weeding garden beds
* Cultivating garden beds
* Planting more greens
* Harvesting greens & veggies for donation
* Sheet mulching
Please email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.
Put "Volunteer Support" in the subject line.
Put "Volunteer Support" in the subject line.
We'd like to give a special THANK YOU to:
* TYEHIMBA PEYTON *
THANK YOU Brother Tyehimba Peyton for your donation of gopher cages.
We appreciate your monetary donation as well. Your contribution helped us pay for garden maintenance on our mini-farm.
THANK YOU Brother Tyehimba Peyton for your donation of gopher cages.
We appreciate your monetary donation as well. Your contribution helped us pay for garden maintenance on our mini-farm.
* THIBAULT MONNIER *
THANK YOU Thibault Monnier for your professional string trimming and major tree pruning services. Not only do we have more room on the mini-farm to plant food to donate, we have eucalyptus branches to create terraces for our garden beds.
THANK YOU Thibault Monnier for your professional string trimming and major tree pruning services. Not only do we have more room on the mini-farm to plant food to donate, we have eucalyptus branches to create terraces for our garden beds.
Nourish Wellness has tote bags and t-shirts for sale.
Please go to our FUNDRAISING PAGE for more details.
Please go to our FUNDRAISING PAGE for more details.
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Donated funds are used to purchase supplies, fundraising items,
and cover operating costs.
and cover operating costs.
Flourish Nourish Wellness Newsletter Volume 1: Issue 7
Nourish Wellness Mini-Farm Update
Nourish Wellness' mini-farm is finally bearing greens! :)
So far, we're growing cool season veggies like mustard greens,
dinosaur kale, chard, and tree collards.
So far, we're growing cool season veggies like mustard greens,
dinosaur kale, chard, and tree collards.
 Southern Giant Curled Mustard |  Dinosaur kale and tree collards |
Tree collards
Nia and Nai Nai harvesting leafy greens to donate.
Nai Nai donating dinosaur kale, tree collards, mustard greens, and chard to Greater Richmond Interfaith Program's soup kitchen. Chantel Toliver, GRIP's Resources/Kitchen Manager, plans on using these greens to whip up delicious soups and sautée greens for GRIP'S dinner guests.
If you would like to donate food, clothing, or personal hygiene products to the
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, please visit their GRIP Cares website
for more information.
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, please visit their GRIP Cares website
for more information.
We'd like to give a special THANK YOU to:
Botanical Interests, Johnny's Selected Seeds, and Sow Right Seeds for the wonderful seed donations.
We look forward to sowing seed, growing food, and feeding others with your wonderful gifts.
We look forward to sowing seed, growing food, and feeding others with your wonderful gifts.
Botanical Interests
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Sow Right Seeds
THANK YOU Rivkah Beth Medow for your gracious monetary donation last fall.
Your contribution helped us purchase soil for our container plants.
Your contribution helped us purchase soil for our container plants.
Culinary herb container
Volunteer support needed!
Nourish Wellness needs assistance with:
* Weeding garden beds
* Planting more greens
* Harvesting greens & veggies for donation
* Sheet mulching
Please email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.
Please put "Volunteer Support" in the subject line.
* Weeding garden beds
* Planting more greens
* Harvesting greens & veggies for donation
* Sheet mulching
Please email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.
Please put "Volunteer Support" in the subject line.
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