Success StoryGardening Helps to Heal



Gardening Helps to Heal

Author: Lori Bowling

Planning Unit: Boyd County CES

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

Plan of Work: Best Management Practices in Home Horticulture

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Karen's Place Maternity Center is a recovery center for expectant/young mothers.  Many of these ladies are learning how to cope with everyday life issues while recovering from substance abuse as well as learning how to take care of their babies/children.  One important lesson they learn through the Snap Ed program is how to have a healthy diet and the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables.  The horticulture program reinforces this by teaching simple gardening skills so that the residents can learn how to grow their own produce, even if it is on a small scale such as container gardening.  Many of the participants have commented on how the simple gardening activities help to keep their hands and mind busy which helps with their healing process.  Some of the ladies have commented on how the gardening activities brings back good family memories of a happier day and those memories remind them what they are working for in their recovery process.  






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