Their slogan?

“We don’t just grow plants. We grow people too.”

Their mission?

In 1992, The Garden Project was founded with a mission unlike any organization in the country: to provide job training and support to former offenders through counseling and assistance in continuing education, while also impacting the communities from which they come. Today, The Garden Project continues this mission – innovatively empowering both former offenders and at-risk youth through training and education while transforming the urban environment.

Garden projects have been taking off, not only helping feed communities but teaching people who have lost their way about the fundamentals of life and growth.

As Catherine Sneed, one of founders of the movement, puts it so well:

“Each person cares for particular plants and learns, by watching them grow, the true nature of this life: growth, renewal, and perseverance. Somewhere during the time spent quietly working the earth, something happens and something changes. Witnessing the cycle of growth and renewal allows the prisoners to see their own potential for growth and change. People often ask me what I did to inspire people to work. I tell them that it wasn’t me, it was the plants.”

The power of nature, working its magic once again. If you’ve had a bad day or are feeling lost, don’t underestimate the power of a garden or even a few houseplants. Plants are life forms and can add to your spiritual growth on a powerful level.