Issue Three- November 2020:
By Mercedes Barreto
Mission:
GRACE Grows empowers individuals experiencing homelessness through horticultural therapy, education, access to fresh vegetables, and community development. They strive to provide a space where people can come together to interact with nature, grow their own garden, and find community.
Many guests of the shelter express that the garden is their reprieve from the chaos and that they learn more through working in the garden than they thought possible.
What started the idea behind the Grace Garden Project?
“Originally, it was just a garden that I and a few others started at GRACE Marketplace, a low barrier shelter and housing services non-profit in Gainesville, Florida. From the very start, I kind of had an idea for what the garden would be now but had decided that I would increase its size and capacity only when I knew it was sustainable.
I had started as a volunteer at GRACE Marketplace and learned quickly that all sorts of well-meaning groups and individuals had ideas for the place. It is located on a 25-acre former prison- work release site. However, lots of well-meaning people sometimes end up detracting from the resources of the non-profit they would like to assist.
So from the beginning, I was determined to listen to both the staff and the people serving at the shelter and to grow in a responsible manner that wouldn’t leave them with a mess or detract from their resources. Everyone who helped me at first was someone receiving services there who were experiencing homelessness. We had monthly meetings to determine what they wanted from the project so that we could make it as empowering as possible.
Eventually, I met people from the larger community interested in the project, who could assist. We conducted a needs assessment with the University of Florida and interviewed around 300 people who were experiencing homelessness to determine whether a community garden was something that people wanted and whether it would be a possible solution regarding nutrition issues that the group faced. The answer was, overwhelmingly, yes.
Around the same time, GRACE asked us to create a vocational training program similar to their culinary program, where people could get a professional credential if they wanted. So, we worked with another department at UF called ‘The Doctor of Plant Medicine Program’, who took the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association Certified Horticulture course and made it accessible to people who were experiencing a crisis, learning disabilities, mental health issues, and lower literacy rates.
Today that is one of our strongest programs.
The garden now has individual gardening beds, where anyone who is experiencing homelessness can reserve one for themselves, to grow whatever they would like. We supply the seeds, and we also have group-managed areas to provide a larger quantity of vegetables, which sometimes go to the kitchen, and often to our gardeners. Anyone can utilize the garden, and then, when we conduct the Horticulture Vocational Program, we usually have small cohorts where each person identifies goals for themselves.”
What indications led you to believe that horticulture is the best way to combat homelessness?
“I don’t think horticulture is the best way to combat homelessness. It is one way.
I believe that housing is the solution to homelessness and that we need to look to non-punitive and more holistic approaches to address the repercussions of poverty and disparities in our communities.
Many folks think we need to fix the people who are affected by these issues, but I believe that we need better systems and resources in place for them. A housing-first approach can help end homelessness.
However, to address some of the systemic needs, other things can be done to bring our community together surrounding these issues.
Horticulture is grounding and connects people. In fact, society has been cultivated around agriculture and horticulture for thousands of years.
It is in our bones.
People who experience homelessness are some of the most alienated groups who experience and endure a ton of trauma. Our programs’ principles are based on empowerment, education, therapeutic horticulture, and community development. We believe that these principles can help reduce the trauma and other negative effects of homelessness.”
What progress has been made via the movement, and for what number of assisted or homeless people who have participated in the program?
“We recently expanded our mission to not just include people who are experiencing homelessness, but also people who experience food insecurity.
We are now working to expand our reach into communities affected by disparities that could benefit from our approach. We are currently working on a project to improve food accessibility and sovereignty in a low-income community in Gainesville that is a food-desert and experiences great economic disparity.
All our projects are community-centered and work to generate power in the lives of those affected. We have had 100’s of individuals who were experiencing homelessness participate in our garden, and about 50 people participate in our Horticulture course. Many hundreds of others have eaten our veggies.”
What kind of message can be amplified onto and embraced by surrounding communities and the homeless population, to not give up when help is on the way?
“This is a hard question to answer because we need much more resources to adequately address the issue of homelessness. Some places exist where people are treated with dignity and respect, but what I would tell someone who is experiencing these disparities is that: you are valuable.
You don’t need to be fixed, you need safety and shelter.
Everyone deserves a chance to grow.
Please don’t give up on finding support.”
