The Brighton Recovery Center is designed for women who have have had issues with substance abuse. For several years, we have had a gardening program with the women. This gardening program occurs on the Brighton Center's property within a series of raised bed gardens. In recent years, the vegetable and herb plants have struggled to succeed due to poor soil and an insufficient fence which allows rabbits to constantly raid the garden.

The Boone County Horticulture Program successfully applied for and received a grant from the Kentucky Horticulture Council. This grant allowed us to have a series of programs where we removed the old fence, replaced that fence with a new fence, added 200 cubic feet of mushroom compost, and planted the garden. The grant paid for fencing, new tools, compost, and vegetable plants. During each program, we talked about the reasons why we are doing what we are doing and connect that to what they can do in their home gardens once they graduate from the center. 

We have had five programs in 2024 at the Bright Center Recovery Center. Through these programs, we have worked with approximately thirty women. Of these women, two have stated that they are current gardeners. Many of the remaining women have gardened in the past, and frequently talk about fond memories they had while gardening with parents or grandparents. A few women within the program have never gardened before, and have shown excitement when harvesting their first herbs and vegetables.