| |
Extension Report
Baldwin County Extension Office
302A Byrne Street
Bay Minette, AL 36507
Michael McIntyre
Urban Regional Extension Agent
Natural Resources/Home Horticulture
August 5, 2008
The Homeless Helping Themselves Through Gardening
Homeless shelters around the state provide food and shelter to those in need. Nothing is more satisfying than food when you are hungry or a comfortable home when it’s cold or raining. I am almost certain that at some time in our lives we have experienced one of those circumstances. Although, some shelters offer additional services such as educational programs, health checks, and generally help the homeless to achieve an independent status, none can provide the immediate satisfaction of food and shelter. According to the National Law Center for Homelessness and Poverty; 3 million men, women and children were homeless over the past year. From this three million, thirty percent were chronically homeless and seventy percent were temporarily homeless. Therefore, 900,000 homeless are in shelters permanently and some of them are capable of working and contributing to the system that is caring for them.
In this article, we will look at how gardens, specifically vegetable gardens, can help to alleviate the food insecurity issues at homeless shelters by providing a fresh supply of vegetables. According to the United States Conference of Mayors, twenty percent of the homeless population can work. The partial solution to this problem is simple and workable. Vegetable gardens can be established on the property of the homeless shelters and maintained by the residents. This process will need support and agreement from the shelter administration, volunteers, master gardeners, Extension Agents and the community just to name a few of the supporting groups. Simple as it may appear to be, there are conditions that must be met and all participation is on a voluntary basis. However, there are three situations that must exist before a vegetable garden can exist: the labor force or the homeless willing to plant and maintain the garden; land or available space for setting- up the garden and finally the interest of the management of the shelter to undertake this program.
A few homeless shelters are already conducting counseling programs to the drug and alcohol dependent users, which according to the US conference of Mayors account for thirty four percent of the homeless. Homeless shelters can incorporate gardening as an education and therapeutic activity within their counseling program. This garden will provide numerous benefits to the homeless and the shelter. This vegetable garden will give the homeless a sense of purpose and contribute to their survival and well being. The garden will also be a therapeutic activity for the homeless, allowing them to exercise and live a healthier lifestyle. The shelter would spend less money purchasing vegetables and sometimes may have surplus for sale. The garden will increase the value and aesthetic of the shelter making it a more livable place to stay.
Homeless shelters and other organization that provide food to the needy should take advantage of this opportunity in providing a free source of healthy food to the people they serve. For more information on community gardening, contact Michael McIntyre at 251-574-8445 or 251-259-1265 or mnm0001@aces.edu.
Please call the number above to register for the Training of the Trainers Workshop on the August 20th to 22nd at 9:00 a.m. at the Mobile County Extension Office on 1070 Schillinger Road North. There is no fee for Alabama residents but you must call to register. Topics include land lost prevention, estate planning, marketing opportunities, value added agriculture, sustainable agriculture, organic production and much more.
Email address: mnm0001@auburn.edu
Phone: (251) 937-7176
August 4, 2008
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability
|
