Garden of Hope

Dena Brummer in the Garden of Hope

The Garden of Hope is a teaching garden on the Duarte campus of the City of Hope® that's open to patients, employees, visitors, and the greater community. It is a space aligned with the Nourishing Hope philosophy of promoting the connection between nutrition and well-being. The garden allows anyone to be a part of growing and harvesting fresh, healthy, clean food, get to know each other better, and develop a hands-on hobby. Located near the intersection of Buena Vista St. and Village Road, the garden is completely volunteer-driven. The garden is partially sponsored by the Department of Community Benefit and the City of Hope - Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Partnership.
 

Vision

The Garden of Hope is an innovative leader in teaching gardens at medical centers.

Mission

The Garden of Hope is an inclusive, therapeutic teaching garden that promotes good food and living.

Values

Food Justice

  • Community-Based Partnerships with Arroyo High School and La Primera Elementary School
  • Food Literacy Initiatives
  • Food Equity Programs (Produce for Patients)

Environmental Stewardship

  • Agroecology-based educational programs to address the climate crisis, and connect people to food and nature.
    Knowledge
  • Programming that honors traditions, cultural practices, and other education forms increases our collective connection to nature.
    Well-being
  • We use food and gardens to foster community health, connections, and strength.

Edible Gardens

Garden of Hope currently has two edible gardens on the Duarte campus. The edible gardens are the only interactive gardens on campus and are maintained by garden volunteers. The edible gardens demonstrate small-scale edible gardens in the urban built environment.
 
 
Garden of Hope Community Garden (Main garden)
Garden of Hope Community Garden was built in Fall 2018. The garden is ever-changing and consists of mostly seasonal edibles. The garden features 14 raised vegetable beds, a pollinator garden, hydroponics, vermicomposting, greenhouse, compost, California native garden, and more under 3,000 sq ft. The space is open to visitors from sunset to sunrise and available to volunteers during designated volunteer hours.
 
Garden of Hope — City Cafe Garden
Garden of Hope has expanded with a second garden outside City Café. The Garden of Hope "North" at the City Café is maintained by volunteers, mainly staff from the Nourishing Hope food services department. This garden expansion allows more people of the City of Hope community to access the farm-to-table idea of local, healthy food. The garden consists of 9 beds all featuring edible plants planted and harvested by volunteers.

Volunteer at the Garden

 
Garden Volunteers
Garden of Hope is a volunteer-driven garden supported by internal and external volunteers that make up the Garden Club. Garden Club members, also referred to as "garden sprouts", assist with daily garden tasks needed to support the garden's mission. Tasks include watering, propagation, transplanting, community events, and more. The produce that is harvested is distributed among volunteers, patients,  the City of Hope cafeteria and local food shelters. All are welcomed to participate, and no experience is required. 
 
Prospective volunteers are strongly encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Garden Manager and watch the volunteer orientation video before volunteering. Garden materials will be provided. For more information or to rsvp to volunteer contact [email protected]

Upcoming Events

Garden of Hope Seed to Supper - March 7

 

Garden of Hope Advance Seed to Supper March 14

Community Outreach Programs

Seeds to Supper: Growing Wellness from the Ground Up

Seeds to Supper addresses food security challenges head-on by providing hands-on, community-centered beginner-friendly education in gardening, nutrition and cooking — helping participants grow their food and take control of their health.

Food insecurity affects thousands of households in Los Angeles County, with devastating impacts on health and well-being. Research shows that community gardening not only improves access to fresh produce but also enhances life skills, builds confidence and fosters a sense of community.

Seeds to Supper runs year-round with four Basic cohorts and two Advanced cohorts annually. Each cohort lasts three months, and participants receive approximately 18 hours of programming per term. The program is hosted at City of Hope’s Garden of Hope in Duarte, CA — a welcoming, open-access space inspired by the Michelle Obama Library garden model.

For more information, contact Nancy Clifton-Hawkins at [email protected].

Produce for Patients

The Produce for Patients program is a flagship initiative that exemplifies City of Hope’s commitment to community health and compassion.

Program Highlights:

  • Over 85,000 lbs of produce distributed between October 2023 and September 2024
  • 220 volunteers contributed nearly 2,000 hours of service
  • Produce was sourced from the LA Regional Food Bank and delivered through partners like:
    • Seeds of Hope
    • Antelope Valley Partners in Health
    • Inland Valley Hope Partners

Employee Wellness Collaboration (Virgin Pulse)

City of Hope employees are able to earn more benefits for volunteering at the Garden of Hope.
 
Join a Weed and Water Wednesdays or Grow and Learn event at the Garden of Hope, Duarte campus for a "hands-on" learning experience. See the event schedule to register for upcoming events.  At the event, receive a voucher for 350 points redeemable on your Rewards page. Register at join.virginpulse.com/CityofHope. Volunteers must complete a brief garden orientation, sign-in and out and receive a voucher to claim rewards.

Learn More about Gardening