An Introduction to Leaf for Life

Who we are

Leaf for Life helps people improve their health by showing them ways to make better use of vegetables, especially leaf crops, in their diets. Since 1986 we have worked on nutrition projects here in the United States, and in Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, India, Mexico, and Nicaragua. We show children, parents, and health workers the relationship between diet and health, and offer simple and creative ways to encourage children to eat more dark green leafy vegetables. We link our work to the worldwide movement "5 a Day for Better Health." Much of our current work is focused in two locations where diet-related health problems are prevalent: near our base in Eastern Kentucky and in southern Mexico (with our sister organization Hoja para la Vida).

Our Guiding Principles

1. We can eliminate childhood malnutrition and the cycle of unnecessary suffering it triggers.
2. Long-term solutions to malnutrition require local control of a diverse food supply.
3. A wholesome food system protects the health of the land it uses and our respect for life.
4. Working with vegetable crops offers us a practical way to unite these principles.

What We Do

We provide technical support for nutrition programs and provide a range of educational and research materials for groups that are combating diet-related diseases. Much of our work revolves around two techniques for converting leaf crops into more versatile and valuable foods: solar drying of leaf crops and making leaf concentrate. We also teach people how to garden for maximum nutritional value.

In addition to hands-on workshops and training, we function as a clearinghouse for information on green leaf crops. We think this web site is a valuable means of informing and connecting a growing network of people throughout the world who are trying to increase vegetable use in community based nutrition and agriculture programs. We produce training presentations on growing and processing vegetables and on the 5 a Day for Better Health program. They are available in English and Spanish, with some also available in Portuguese

Our Web Site

Our web site (www.leafforlife.org) is a place to find information about leaf crops and about the people working with them. There is a leaf library, full of useful and hard-to-find information, including manuals in both English and Spanish. You'll find out which are the best leaves and how to grow or buy them, and how to prepare or preserve them. There is also plenty of information on how to make your garden a better source of the nutrition your body needs. Educators can find puzzles and games related to nutrition. We hope this web site will become an open forum that you can join by sharing useful experiences you've had working with vegetables and sending us ideas, recipes, and articles.

How You Can Help

Leaf for Life is a small nonprofit [(501 (C) 3] organization. Our work is supported by people like you. We welcome your tax-exempt contributions, which may be made securely online at JustGive.org:

Or, by post, to:
     Leaf for Life
     Box 158
     260 Radford Hollow Rd.
     Big Hill, KY 40405,

or contact us for more information.

Thanks!