Three New Gardens Help House of Hope Bring Nutrition Education and Fun to Martin County Children
STUART, Fla. – Carrots growing deep in the ground, peppers sprouting on a bush, bananas hanging from a tree – these are all astonishing sights for the school children when the House of Hope’s Traveling Nutrition Education Garden comes to visit.
Now, thanks to three new gardens installed at Martin County Parks & Recreation facilities, more children will learn where their food comes from and why fresh fruits and vegetables are important to their health.
County Commissioners Sarah Heard and Stacy Hetherington are funding new gardens in their district and will join House of Hope for ribbon cuttings in March.
Children in the Parks & Recreation after school program already take part in a nutrition education program that teaches the importance of healthy habits and good nutrition. Now the children at three sites will have the opportunity to visit a garden on the premises, gather what’s ready for picking, taste some of the harvest, and learn quick and easy recipes that they can do at home.
The gardens of fruits, veggies, herbs, edible flowers and pollinators have been installed and will be maintained by Urban Abundance. The company typically maintains organic raised bed gardens for individual homeowners or renters, but they’re eager to be involved in helping young people learn about soil, plants, fertilizers, and the joy of growing one’s own fruits and vegetables.
“House of Hope committed itself to helping our community improve its nutrition,” said House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri, “and over the past few years, we’ve come up with innovative ways to do that. Our Growing Hope Farm in Palm City has been a gamechanger for providing fresh fruits and vegetables to our clients and food pantry partners, for example, and our Nutrition Education Gardens are a way to both teach young people and get them excited about what they’re learning.”
The three new garden sites are located at the GAAP ( Golden Gate Alternative Afterschool Program and at REACH (Reimagining Education and Career Help) in Stuart and at JASE (the Jensen After School Experience) in Jensen Beach,
House of Hope’s gardening and nutrition education programs have been operating since 2016. The nonprofit sponsors several gardens across the county, with significant funding from the Children’s Services Council of Martin County. Last year more than 12,300 individuals benefited from these nutrition education programs.
“Health matters,” Ranieri said, “and all of the research says that good nutrition is key. We’re pleased to be front and center in helping our community members appreciate where our food comes from and why nutrition is important.”
To learn more about House of Hope or make a donation, visit House of Hope’s website at www.hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673.
About House of Hope
Founded in 1984, House of Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers Martin County residents to overcome hunger and hardship. House of Hope touches the lives of more than 43,800 people each month, helping with basic needs such as food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance, as well as longer-term case management services that help build life skills for a more self-sufficient future.
The organization has service centers in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Jensen Beach, with thrift stores in Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Indiantown. House of Hope’s Centers for Enrichment at Golden Gate in Stuart, in Jensen Beach, and at KinDoo Family Center in Indiantown offer free programs, technology, and workshops designed to enhance life skills, earning potential, health, and overall well-being.
House of Hope also operates the Growing Hope Farm in Palm City and several nutrition gardens that provide sustainable sources of fresh produce for clients as well as nutrition education and vocational opportunities to the community. For more information, visit hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673. Updates and announcements can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and X.