Dublin Students Donate Food They Grew Themselves To Charity

DUBLIN, CA — A group of Dublin students calling themselves the “Gardeners of the Galaxy” have donated 146 trays and 76.9 pounds of microgreens they grew themselves to local charities. The students have received a $1500 mini-grant from the City of Dublin’s Youth Advisory Committee to support their efforts.

“We identified the need and came up with the idea when our founder decided to use his gardening skills to help feed people in need,” Dublin High School student and group member Hari Ganesh told Patch.

Ganesh is working with Arjun Karur-Parekh, Neel Karur-Parekh, Preston Chiu, and Nico Singh. The group is also working with Veena Devarakonda, Arjun and Neel’s mother, and DUSD Nutritional Services Director Frank Castro, a personal sponsor of the organization.

The gardeners work together to grow microgreens - smaller versions of larger vegetables and plants like lettuce and peas - in 10 x 20 inch trays inside of a licensed and approved garage, which received a home growing certification from the county. The group decided to grow microgreens because they are more space and cost-efficient than regular-sized vegetables. According to an analysis the group presented to the Dublin Youth Advisory Committee, these nutrient-rich foods can enhance the diets of about 32.5 people for just $6.12.

The group has donated their produce to the Culinary Angels Food Pantry and the Dublin Unified School District. They estimate that their food has helped enrich a total of 5900 meals since they started, and 3800 to 4000 meals in 2023 alone.