Planting Seeds of Wellness: Inside Our Mindful Nutrition Series

This spring, the Urban League of Hampton Roads Health Team launched the Mindful Nutrition Series, a four-week journey into health, sustainability, and self-empowerment. Funded by the Virginia Health Services Brock Institute Health Equity Community Grant, the series invited participants to rethink their relationship with food and explore practical ways to support both body and community.

In week one, we welcomed yoga instructor Gretchen Holloman to guide us through the principles of mindful eating. Through breath, movement, and reflection, we began cultivating awareness around the choices we make at the table and in our daily lives.

The learning continued in week two at the Bon Secours Community Garden, where former Park Ranger Laura Knipp helped us plant herbs and vegetables by hand. It was a moment of reconnection with the soil, with each other, and with the idea that food access begins in our own neighborhoods.

In week three, we got hands-on in the kitchen with Nailah Washington of New Therapist LLC, who led a simple but powerful activity: making butter from scratch. In just 15 minutes, participants turned cream into a tangible reminder that nourishment can be both accessible and empowering.

We wrapped up the series with a conversation led by our Health Team on food insecurity and the psychological barriers it creates. Together, we explored how to move from information to action, turning new knowledge into everyday change.

Over the course of four weeks, we watched participants grow in confidence, build new connections, and embrace practical tools that support lasting change, both in their own lives and within their communities.

Let’s Keep the Momentum Going

We’re already planning the next session of the Mindful Nutrition Series and would love for you to join us. If you’re ready to explore wellness in a fresh, supportive, and empowering way, stay tuned — more details are coming soon.

Visit the Health webpage to get involved, or contact us at [email protected] to learn more.