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About Us

In 1998, our founder John Visnauskas, also known as Jagadish, had a pivotal moment in his life. Happening to pass what was then called Cleveland Foodbank, he wrote down a phone number from the sign outside the urban warehouse.

 

Soon a volunteer position turned into an Operations Management position, followed by decades of service founding, directing, mentoring, and partnering with dozens of anti-hunger organizations working together to combat food insecurity in Greater Cleveland, Ohio.

John Visnauskas
Tuesday Lunch cooks

In 2019, John became director of Baba’s Yard, a nonprofit organization that promotes plant-based nutrition. Between 2019 and 2021, Baba’s Yard distributed two hundred tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to households with limited incomes in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and the municipalities of Parma and Brooklyn, Ohio.

In 2021, Baba’s Yard began offering delicious, plant-based meals-to-go at our garden sanctuary located on Cleveland’s West Side.

 

Beginning in 2023, these meals are available for pickup at Parma Circle as well as Baba’s Garden Sanctuary

Tuesday Lunches in the News

Parma Observer   |   March 1st, 2023

PARMA, OHIO  — More and more frequently, people are remembering the importance of increasing their consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Volunteers at an outdoor produce distribution site

Parma Sun Post   |   July 9th, 2020

PARMA, OHIO  — More than a year ago John Visnauskas created nonprofit Baba's Yard with the simple food-is-medicine being to reduce epidemic disease by increasing fresh produce consumption.

Screen capture from news segment featuring John Visnauskas at an outdoor produce distribution site

Fox 8 Cleveland   |   May 7th, 2019

PARMA, OHIO  — 50 tons of produce?! That' what a new non-profit called Baba's Yard hopes to distribute to low-income families in the Cleveland area by year's end.

Screen capture from news segement featuring Chef Paulie cooking meals

Spectrum News 1   |   June 7th, 2022

CLEVELAND  — Chef Pauli Kala said he comes into this kitchen twice a month, excited to share his cooking and culture with his community.

Screen capture from Cleveland's Own news segment honoring John Visnauskas

Fox 8 Cleveland   |   July 16th, 2019

CLEVELAND, OHIO  — FOX 8 and Kaulig Giving would like to salute John Visnauskas as one of Cleveland’s Own.

Cleveland.com   |   March 26th, 2019

BROOKLYN, OHIO  — After spending the last decade running Old Brooklyn's All Faiths Pantry, John Visnauskas has moved on to his next nonprofit, which boasts the simple mission that food is medicine.

Screen capture from news segment featuring John Visnauskas at an outdoor produce distribution site

Spectrum News 1   |   May 7th, 2021

CLEVELAND  — John Visnauskas believes that fresh produce doesn't only heal bodies, but it can also help heal communities as long as they have access to it.

Screen capture from news segment featuring John Visnauskas

News 5 Cleveland   |   June 24th, 2019

BROOKLYN, OHIO  — A local man had a dream to eliminate hunger in the area and is starting to take the steps to do just that. 

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