The Hua Foundation addresses numerous issues related to Vancouver's Chinatown and that includes food security and literacy.

The Foundation's Choi Project specifically aims to ensure that fresh, nutritious, local food is available and accessible in Chinatown.

As part of the Choi Project, the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program was held in 2015 and 2017. Thanks to popular demand, it's being brought back again this year, and had its soft launch on July 15.

The CSA program helps to connect shoppers with producers.

How it works is members of the program buy shares of a farm and receive a weekly box of fresh produce all season until mid-October. Each share is $25 per week (plus a one-time $20 administrative fee). The number of shares are limited and can be reserved by filling out a form online.

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Each box contains about seven to 10 different vegetables each week, with an emphasis on choi (Chinese leafy greens) and culturally specific vegetables. (The Hua Foundation has a guide to seasonal choi at their website.)

For instance, the first box of this year contained yu choi, onions, carrots, pea tips, zucchini, cucumber, salad greens, cilantro, and broccoli.

Weekly pickups will be held outside Dr. Sun Yat-Sen courtyard in Chinatown on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as part of Chinatown Summer Events.

All produce is local, non-certified organic, and usually harvested the day before, and helps to support regional growers.

This year, CSA is collaborating with the Farmhouse Bard's Roger Woo who runs a small Surrey vegetable farm and has worked as a chef at Hong Kong restaurants.

More information about the CSA program can be found at the Hua Foundation website.