MissionNutrition ATL

04/02/2020

Namaste my friends!

Following my return to the US from a vacation in Spain, I was, of course, quarantined for 14 days. During that time, nearly everyone else was starting to hunker down, or at least social-distancing. It occurred to me th...

03/26/2020

03/13/2020

Sad I missed “pea week” due to spring break! Adore these little cuties!

Two peas in a pod!! These two gobbled up the chefs’ pea stir fry this week at the Refugee Family Literacy: Mommy & Me Healthy Food Experience. Peas are low in fat but high in protein, fiber and micro-nutrients. They are also an environmentally friendly food because they work with bacteria to increase nitrogen in the soil so that fertilizer does not need to be added. SUCH HAP-PEA-NESS!

Recipe coming soon!

02/27/2020

So happy for these wonderful citizens!

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The New Americans Celebration was a great success, with over 350 people coming out in the rain to advocate for refugees and immigrants at the Capitol!
Photo by Joseph McBrayer

02/10/2020

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Welcome to the team, Nancy! Nancy is Jolly Avenue Garden’s newest volunteer and is a Registered Dietitian. She will be leading our weekly Healthy Food Experience hands-on activities for the Refugee Family Literacy: Mommy & Me program. Nancy is an avid foodie and especially loves experimenting with globally inspired plant-based dishes. When not playing with food, she enjoys the outdoors, fitness, traveling, and spending time with her husband and 4 children. Thank you for dedicating your time and skills to us!

Friends of Refugees

01/31/2020

What do leeks, beets and fava beans all have in common?! They are all part of our Spring 2020 Healthy Food Experience at Refugee Family Literacy: Mommy & Me! Our chefs will be promoting a healthy food each week to encourage mothers and children to choose healthier eating options. Stay tuned to see what delicious snacks the chefs create and pictures that feature kids trying new foods!

Friends of Refugees

01/24/2020

So much fun working with these energetic little bitties this week learning all about broccoli!

What is the Healthy Food Experience (HFE) program at the Jolly Avenue Garden all about? The HFE is an initiative that provides hands-on learning experiences that increase relevant knowledge about nutrition, agriculture, and earth care across the programs at Friends of Refugees. We currently partner with the Refugee Family Literacy: Mommy & Me program which offers ESOL classes for refugee women and an early childhood development program for their children, ages 0-5. Our chefs cook daily snacks for these women and children and everyone receives a copy of the recipe to try out at home!

Friends of Refugees

01/15/2020

Looking forward to introducing next week’s activity to these little nuggets!

140 parents and 245 preschool students participated in the Jolly Avenue Garden’s weekly Refugee Family Literacy: Mommy & Me Healthy Food Initiative this fall! Moms were exposed to 14 fresh vegetables like snap peas, okra, cauliflower, and zucchini and were empowered to prepare more healthy foods for their children. Exposing children under five to new foods increases the likelihood that they will not only be more receptive to new foods throughout their lifetime, but also develop lifelong preferences for these foods.

Friends of Refugees

12/29/2019

Hoping to learn a thing or two from the gardeners at Jolly Avenue Garden!

Did you know? Over 70% of Clarkston residents live in multi-family housing, which means that access to kitchen garden plots is limited. This year the Jolly Avenue Garden served over 500 people through its 120 garden plots. The JAG lies within a five-minute walking distance for over 10,000 residents, making it a great location for gardeners to easily maintain their plots.

Friends of Refugees