Photo credit: Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG, https://www.dailynews.com/2024/09/25/a-quiet-garden-in-west-los-angeles-can-grow-produce-for-1200-veterans/

Thanks to a generous donation of 1000 tomato seedlings from Plug Connection, guidance from Marine Veteran and Hydroponics Expert Tony Lattner, support from the UCLA Department of Medicine, and the help of more than 30 volunteers, this summer we planted our inaugural 1000 Tomato Plant Hydroponic Garden.

1. Heal in a Nature-Based Therapeutic Space Created for Veteran Patients

For many of our nation's Veterans, the journey to healing is not straightforward.  The VA’s Whole Health Department offers a holistic approach to Veteran health and well-being.  The Veteran’s Garden Whole Health model, which emphasizes easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables along with therapeutic outdoor spaces, can be integrated into individual healthcare plans.

The Veteran Health Administration is the largest integrated health system in the nation, serving more than 9 million Veterans annually. More than 260,000 Veterans live in the Greater Los Angeles VA Health Systems’ catchment area, including the nation’s largest population of Veterans experiencing housing insecurity. Rising rates of diet-related disease are a crisis for Veterans and national security:

The Veteran’s Garden is a 15-acre farm situated on the campus of the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Initially established in the 1970s as a space for Veterans returning from the Vietnam and Korean Wars to connect with the earth and each other, the garden has undergone several transformations over the years.