Success StorySunrise Home



Sunrise Home

Author: Lorilee Kunze

Planning Unit: Bullitt County CES

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

Plan of Work: Natural Resources and the Environment

Outcome: Initial Outcome


Horticultural therapy is a proven method for relieving stress, improving wellbeing, building confidence, learning steam subjects and building relationships.  This program partners Extension with the Sunrise Home for boys.  The Extension service offers hands on demonstration and cooperation planning, planting and maintaining a therapeutic garden space for 18 young boys in the Sunrise home. Working together the boys formed bonds that help them develop better communication skills, they learned to successfully grow their own fruits and vegetables, gained confidence and built self-esteem.  They tried new types of foods because they had pride in having grown them.  One of the boys involved in this project insisted on planting carrots because he wanted to cook with them.  He was very excited to have his own row of carrots in the garden.  Additionally, another boy wasn't interested in vegetables and wanted to plant flowers in containers.  We accommodated and honored his request, allowing for room for several containers of flowering plants.  He was very proud and protective of his container garden.  This horticulture therapy project is part of a larger outreach by the Extension.  Both the FCS program and the Agriculture program are also working with Sunrise home on various nutrition and wildlife programs as well.  






Stories by Lorilee Kunze


Seeds of Change for Bullitt County

Seeds of Change for Bullitt County

about 1 years ago by Lorilee Kunze

This year the Bullitt County Horticulture Program was gifted an expansive seed donation. It was such... Read More


Make and Take Mushrooms

Make and Take Mushrooms

about 1 years ago by Lorilee Kunze

There is a growing interest in our community to cultivate your own food and become more sustainable.... Read More


Stories by Bullitt County CES


Innovative Smoking Meat Class Series Draws a New Crowd to Extension

Innovative Smoking Meat Class Series Draws a New Crowd to Extension

about 1 years ago by Nathan Rider

Smoking meat is a popular topic among chefs, TV cooking shows, and social media. To help Bullitt Cou... Read More


Backyard Maple Tapping Provides Farm Diversification Opportunities

Backyard Maple Tapping Provides Farm Diversification Opportunities

about 1 years ago by Nathan Rider

Bullitt County is 30% covered by natural forest--252Mha in total. In fact, from 2000 to 2020, Bullit... Read More


Stories by Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy


Garden Club Realizes Healthy Benefits

Garden Club Realizes Healthy Benefits

about 1 years ago by James Morgeson

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gardening is a great source of physical... Read More


Seeds of Change for Bullitt County

Seeds of Change for Bullitt County

about 1 years ago by Lorilee Kunze

This year the Bullitt County Horticulture Program was gifted an expansive seed donation. It was such... Read More