Veterans experience food insecurity at 2x the rate of the civilian population. Veterans experiencing food insecurity also experience suicidal ideation at a 4x higher rate than food-secure Veterans. Thus, addressing food insecurity among Veterans is critical to promoting physical and mental health among our Veteran patients.

The Veteran’s Garden’s mission is to cultivate a nurturing environment where Veteran patients can reconnect with the land and experience improved physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being. Through the Garden, VA clinicians work to empower Veterans to improve their health, promote Veteran nutrition security, and support Veteran transitions to civilian employment, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging in their post-military lives.

The UCLA Department of Clinical Nutrition is hosting a fundraiser to raise funds to purchase supplies to expand the growing capacity of the Garden and expand agricultural therapy programming for Veteran patients. We invite LA’s Hospitality Community to join us in in planting the seeds of an integrated food and health system in Los Angeles that can support the health of Veterans and civilians across the nation.