Community Garden Program at Eva's Village

Elias Youssef

Elias Youssef is the president of Eli’s Corner Gourmet Bagel, LLC. To give back to his community, Elias Youssef donates takes leftover food from his shop to Eva’s Kitchen, a free dining hall in Paterson, New Jersey.

Eva’s Kitchen is part of Eva’s Village, a faith-based organization that works to end poverty. Founded in 1982, Eva’s Village helps people in need by offering shelter, providing medical and dental care, and operating food programs, including a community garden. 

Maintained by volunteers, the community garden supplies eggs and fresh organic produce, such as herbs and vegetables, to the organization’s kitchen, shelters, and other programs, which serve 1,300 meals a day. The one-quarter-acre garden is located on the property of Wayne Auto Spa, in Wayne, New Jersey, and contains a large, domed greenhouse, which extends the garden’s growing season through the winter months.