National Garden Bureau raises nearly $44K for therapeutic gardens

DOWNERS GROVE, IL (March 6, 2015) – Donations of cash, services and products from individuals and major corporations have resulted in gifts totaling $43,398 for the Growing Solutions Farm located in Chicago, Ill.

Courtesy of the NGB. In July 2014, National Garden Bureau, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the horticulture industry, announced the launch of Growing for Futures #growingforfutures, an annual philanthropic effort to benefit therapeutic gardens across the country. In the months since the launch, a flood of publicity surrounding the farm has reached millions resulting in donations of cash, seeds, trees, a greenhouse, compost and more, totaling over $40,000.

Growing Solutions Farm is a vocational therapeutic garden, a program of the Julie + Michael Tracy Family Foundation/Urban Autism Solutions (JMTF) that serves, educates and trains young adults with autism for professional and personal growth. More than twenty young adults are employed at the farm, located in Chicago’s Illinois Medical District, each season. Additional workers are involved at the farm as part of Chicago Public Schools’ program for young adults with special needs. 

NGB’s goal was to raise funds to support the farm’s expansion, both in physical space and jobs programming. 

National Garden Bureau thanks the following organizations for their cash contributions:

ABZ Seeds
All-America Selections
Ball Horticultural Company
Bruss Landscaping
Caitlin, Inc.
Greenheart Farms
Hem Genetics
Home Garden Seed Assn.
Pen & Petal
Planter’s Palette
ProPlugger
Proven Winners
Sakata Ornamentals
Seeds by Design
Seminis
Terra Organics 

National Garden Bureau also thanks the following companies for their generous product and service donations:

Bailey Nurseries
Dixondale Farms
Garden Patch GrowBox
Gardener’s Supply
GreenMark PR
Illinois Concrete Pipe Association
Irish Eyes Garden Seed
Lake Valley Seed
Park Seed
Oldcastle Lawn & Garden 

Following their employment at Growing Solutions Farm, all the students who were eligible for a full-time job have secured positions with various companies in the city of Chicago. After learning how to grow and care for plants and related skills in work ethics, processes and the necessary mechanics for independent living, these young adults are now living more independently and earning an income that might not have been possible before becoming involved with Growing Solutions Farm. 

Plans to enhance the farm include additional raised beds, drip irrigation systems, a berry patch, fruit trees, native plant border and other projects. Donations for the following products are still being accepted for compost, mulch, native plants and other items.

Autism is one of our society’s most misunderstood disabilities, presenting skill limitations in communication, social functioning, self-care and concentration. Experts estimate that 90 percent of people with autism are age 21 and younger. However, once these children reach young adulthood, they struggle to fit into society. By teaching applicable life and career skills through gardening and lifestyle training, JMTF is dedicated to addressing the specific challenges facing these vital young adults. 

In 2015, National Garden Bureau  will continue the Growing For Futures program by providing grants to therapeutic gardens that meet an established set of criteria. Applications for those grants will be made available in May.

For more information about this project or the National Garden Bureau, visit www.ngb.org.