Growing Hope Garden
The Hemlock/Fairview Community Gardens are located on the property of the Transitional Living Center. Some of these plots have been identified to be used by the women and children who live at TLC. Several plots have been identified for use by the women from the Women’s Hearth. Miryam’s House includes the opportunity for the women to engage in small scale gardening on site. Gardening is an important component of what Transitions can offer its participants. The summer of 2008 the Growing Hope Gardens was born to enhance each of our programs.
Growing Hope Garden Project
Rationale
Gardening helps to create an environment that contributes to healing our wounded earth and renewing its life-giving potential. It is about nurturing growth and releasing the life-sustaining power that often lies hidden within. It is about putting down roots, feeling connected and providing sustenance for the daily journey. Gardening is an activity that nourishes the vision underlying the work of Transitions and can enhance each of its programs.
Vision 
Sowing hope, healing and healthy living.
Mission
Transitions Garden Project provides hands-on experiences that educate homeless and low-income women in sustainable, ecological practices for growing, harvesting, and marketing garden produce.
Goals
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to provide direct experiences for homeless and low-income women in gardening and marketing skills.
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to create a supportive, therapeutic environment for healing and personal growth for the participants
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to teach sustainable and ecological practices in gardening
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to increase the economic self-sufficiency of participants through marketing opportunities
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to provide those in need with access to locally grown, nutrient rich food
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to promote personal use of healthy locally grown produce and
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to grow produce for use in the bakery-café job training program (link)
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to integrate waste from the bakery-café in the garden composting process.(link)
Composting and Waste Management
Transitions is committed to developing and implementing practices and procedures that promote ecological sustainability. In addition to educating the women we serve in more sustainable practices for recycling and waste management, the bakery-café job training program provides opportunities for designing and carrying out a complete system for waste recycling. We compost waste products from the kitchen and retail operations, and return them as enriched garden soil to enhance the growing of healthy produce.
Project Needs/Wish List
- Bark
- Composting supplies
- Gardening supplies
- Garden soil
- Garden tools, small hand tools
- Gloves
- Lumber for raised beds
- Rain barrels
- Seeds
- Small greenhouse
- Small storage shed
- Starter plants
- Volunteers to water once a week
- Volunteers for the Farmers' Market