Help kids get access to healthy foods by supporting the Mind Gardens project

My most recent trip to Jamaica was informative and rewarding.  I visited the two school sites that will benefit from Mind Gardens' efforts, the National Baptist Primary School and Tivoli Gardens High, and was able to look around the sites where these community gardens will be developed.

I visited National Baptist Primary School on their weekly "Fruit Day", a set day of the week where every student is encouraged to bring a piece of fruit to eat at meal time.  "Fruit Day" is an effort to encourage parents to think about nutritious foods for their children and introduce a healthy diet at a young age.  However, such efforts can only go so far and unfortunately many families are not able to send their children to school daily, let alone with a piece of fresh fruit.  It was sad for me to witness the young children drinking artificial, sugar-loaded sodas and juice boxes rather than the milk or fresh fruit juice many of us enjoyed at school. 

The following day I visited Tivoli Gardens High and toured the area where our Teaching Garden will be.  During their lunchtime the school's Principal rounded up some students and took everyone out to the open field where we took multiple photos of the students and site while a soccer game took place on the other side of the field.

Later that day I went to our community garden site in Trench Town where Greenhouse construction will begin this month.  I was educated by our grower on the technical aspects of beginning a community garden, such as the land assessment process that ensures the land is safe and appropriate before any building begins.  This opened my eyes to the extensive work required to develop a project like this - it's definitely not as quick and simple as some may think!  The grower went on to describe the growing process and provided me with a timeline for the actual production of fresh vegetables.  I was inspired by his expansive knowledge and experience with all aspects of the project. 

I look forward to returning to Jamaica in the Spring to continue my education and further participate in helping these communities - Tarik Ross.  US Project Coordinator, Mind Gardens.

Thank you for your continued support of Mind Gardens and our mission. Please share the pledge with friends and family

Congratulations all - we've just blown past 10,000 supporters for Snoop's Mind Gardens Project! The gardens have already been started in two low-income neighborhoods in Kingston, Jamaica. Land is being tilled, seeds are being planted, and soon crops will be harvested!

However, our work is just beginning, and Jamaica is just the start. Next year we want to bring Mind Gardens to the US. Far too many of our children still don't have access to the nourishing foods that are essential for healthy bodies and minds. To do this we need you; we need your voice.

Please take a moment to appreciate our first milestone, then share the pledge with your friends and family.

Check out this great article in BET on our new projects! Your support has been great, thank you, and keep spreading the word!

Snoop Dogg Launches Food Initiative in Jamaica
The hip hop star is bringing organic food to impoverished neighborhoods on the Caribbean island.

By Arielle Loren

Snoop Dogg is connecting with Jamaica. The music star has announced a partnership with Reed's Ginger Brew to aid the Mind Gardens Project, his latest non-profit initiative to create sustainable, organic community gardens. The gardens will provide fresh fruits and vegetables to children in Jamaica.

"When I went to Jamaica, we took time to visit these communities in Kingston, and I was deeply affected by the poverty and lack of good food available to the children," revealed Snoop in a written statement. "No child should go hungry. After all the inspiration Jamaica had provided me, I felt compelled to create a program to give back to the community."

The project has already begun work in Kingston affecting two major communities, Trench Town and Tivoli Gardens. To find out more about the initiative, visit MindGardens.org or Causes.com/MindGardens.

You can read the rest of the Article at BET.com.

(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

What if your family had nowhere to shop for groceries, or had to wait for aid in order to have a meal? Not having access to healthy foods is a reality for millions of children around the globe, and malnutrition is the result.

Access to healthy foods should be a right not a privilege. That's exactly why Snoop Lion started the Mind Gardens Project, a nonprofit dedicated to creating community gardens to give kids in impoverished neighborhoods access to healthy fruits and vegetables. Community gardens have been shown to reduce hunger, build communities, provide income, and help the environment. But most importantly, gardens provide nutritious food that nurtures both the body and the mind.

Help spread the knowledge by sharing this infographic explaining community gardens' impacts with your friends and family. Also, make sure to invite them pledge their support to Snoop's Mind Gardens project.