Growing things can be a very satisfying experience. There’s a sense of accomplishment to see a plant go from seed to seedling to producing an actual tomato. Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Inc. (FREE), which supports individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury with an array of supports and services, offers a work readiness program that gives individuals hands-on agricultural skills that can prepare them for a variety of employment opportunities.
The program, part of FREE’s Program Without Walls, an alternative to center-based day programs, puts individuals in a greenhouse and out in the garden, located at FREE’s Oakdale and Middle Island locations. Gardeners plant and care for vegetables, herbs, and flowers, learning the agricultural business along the way.
Called the FREEdom Gardens, the 32 raised garden beds offer plenty of space to grow a wide selection of organic produce and flowers to enjoy at the dinner table or to adorn the porch with.
“I love it!” said Robert Bohard, who has been in the program for about five months. “It’s hard work, but at the end it feels good to grow something.”
Alicia Munch has a special talent for weeding. In fact, it’s her favorite gardening task to do.
“I like digging in the dirt and I love weeding,” she added.
Produce harvested from the garden goes to a range of sources, including FREE’s food-delivery service called FREE-POD, which supplies fresh vegetables and other essential supplies to the more than 100 residences operated by FREE. This year, those individuals working in the garden will also be raising a variety of hot peppers to support a wonderful organization known as Smile Farms, a nonprofit, which plans to manufacture some tasty hot sauce from the harvest. Smile Farms has been a generous supporter of FREE’s garden and greenhouse opportunities to promote agricultural employment opportunities for citizens with disabilities.
Rob Melnick, assistant vice president, community services, who oversees the agricultural program, says that many of the individuals have secured gainful employment at FREE’s garden or have gone on to get jobs with local nurseries and greenhouse businesses.
“Working in the greenhouse and garden can be a great pathway to gaining employment, especially in today’s health-conscious environment,” he said. “In addition to providing job readiness, working in the garden helps improve mental health, self-esteem and a great sense of self and team accomplishment.”
Christine Kunz has been in the gardening program for nine years and even has a garden at home.
“I really like to pick the vegetables and then eat them for dinner,” she said.
And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here