Submitted by the Orcas Island Public Library

In a global world, food helps us share cultural traditions and practices. Rosedanie Cadet is an Orcas resident, global citizen, and director of Helping Hands Noramise — a Haitian nonprofit organization dedicated to providing nutrition education, resources and training to support school gardens. Cadet will be presenting on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. at the library.

Since 2010 Helping Hands Noramise has worked with Haitian educators and youth, teaching sustainable garden skills that help students with reading and arithmetic. Students apply what they learn by reading seed packets and measuring for the planting boxes. Now, through a collaboration with the Orcas Farm to Classroom program, Rosedanie is bringing this work to Orcas Island.

As Cadet says, “growing a potato in Haiti is the same as growing one in Mississippi or Orcas Island. Sharing how we grow food, our dietary laws, and cultural practices about food can be a unifying experience. We can learn from each other.”