Publication Date
Spring 5-8-2024
Description
The non-profit organization, Transitions of PA allows those in crisis, particularly domestic abuse victims, to find support and resources through providing temporary residence at one of Transitions’ three safehouses. We have built a raised garden bed as a therapeutic resource for the Lewisburg safehouse guests, with principles of sustainable gardening in mind. The act of gardening becomes a form of therapy as the connection to the natural elements and intentionality behind sustainable gardening methods have significant mental health benefits. Beyond acting as a therapeutic activity, community gardening has been proven to support social connections and act as a pathway to building support and developing a stronger sense of trust, particularly empowering this community. To ensure optimal accessibility for safehouse guests, educational materials including brochures, outlining the key ways to interact with the garden, and a guidebook for staff, detailing how to sustainably garden, were distributed at the completion of the garden bed. This project encompasses community service, sustainability, and environmental education, all of which have been key to each of our experiences as students.
Keywords
raised garden bed, therapeutic practices, gardening therapy, garden practices, sheet mulching, community outreach, garden guidebook
Rights
©2024. Tait, Garrahy, McDougal, Pennett
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Course Instructor
Amanda Wooden
Department
Environmental Studies
Location
Lewisburg PA