Cast Your Vote in National Garden Bureau’s Therapeutic Garden Grant Program
September 7, 2017 
Farm at Penny Lane
Online voting is now open for the National Garden Bureau’s (NGB) Growing for Futures Therapeutic Garden Grant.
Growing for Futures started in 2014 as a philanthropic program of NGB that supports the building and growth of therapeutic gardens across North America. In 2017, NGB and Sakata Seed America are partnering to provide $5,000 in grant money to be split among three therapeutic gardens.
The first place winner of the online voting will receive $3,000 from the program to enhance the garden’s good works and continue its mission. Second and third place winners will receive $1,000 each for their garden works.
“This is our fourth year of offering therapeutic garden grants, and each year the reach expands to more deserving gardens,” says Diane Blazek, NGB’s Executive Director. “It’s important to raise awareness about therapeutic gardening programs that are helping people find comfort, motivation, and skills for a rewarding life.”
After reviewing the 47 applications submitted for the 2017 Therapeutic Garden Grant, NGB has narrowed the list of finalists to three gardening programs. Those gardens are:
• The Monarch School of New England (MSNE) in Rochester, NH — This school is a unique, comprehensive, private, non-profit, year-round, specialized, day school for students, 5 to 21 years of age, with severe physical, intellectual, emotional, medical, and developmental disabilities. MSNE’s programs, recognized for their excellence, are based on an integrated team approach and a vast array of traditional and innovative programs, including horticultural therapy.
• University of Wisconsin-Extension Milwaukee County Cooperative — This program serves three distinct populations at three sites under the umbrella of the Community Garden/Urban Agriculture Program at UW-Extension Milwaukee County Cooperative using partnerships with several local organizations. These three sites include the 1-acre Vets Healing Garden open to all veterans of military service, primarily consisting of veterans from the Vietnam War; Wil-O-Way Grant; and Wil-O-Way Underwood, which provides accessible garden and therapeutic horticulture programming to two county-designed facilities for individuals with disabilities.
• The Farm at Penny Lane — The Horticultural Therapy Program (HTP) of the North Carolina Botanical Garden provides weekly horticultural therapy sessions to adults with serious and persistent mental illness at the Farm at Penny Lane, located in Chatham County, NC. Each week, an additional eight to 10 participants are involved in garden-related education, gardening work, and group therapy time for sharing and reflection.
Online voting is open until Sept. 15, 2017. Before voting, be sure to view the videos on the site created by the three finalists explaining why their garden should receive the 2017 Therapeutic Garden Grant.
For more information about National Garden Bureau, contact Diane Blazek.
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