AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) – A local nonprofit that helps homeless women with mental illnesses has found a new way to help them stay alive.
Mental Health America has been in Aiken County since 1965, and Nurture Home has been there since the 1980s. Nurture Home is a transitional shelter for women diagnosed with mental illness.
Their focus is on helping individuals heal, get the education they need, and hopefully get them employment and living independently. Last week, they wanted to do something new for their program.
“Our house manager, in consultation with the farm manager, put all of this planning together and finished digging the soil and planting all of the plants last Thursday,” said Bonnie Ann Fulghum, executive director of Mental Health America.
Nurture Home partnered with Grow Well Aiken County to provide equipment and materials to build the “Gardens of Hope,” which Nurture Home hopes will provide the women with a sense of self-care and meaning.
“Self-care is so important for mental health. Digging in the dirt is very therapeutic and watching something regenerate and grow is so important. It gives you a certain sense of hope. The purpose of Nurture Home is really to give you hope,” Fulghum said.
One resident we spoke to was excited to do something he’d never had the chance to do before.
“One of the things I’m looking forward to is I’ve never done anything in my garden before and I’m excited to see how well we can grow all our crops,” resident Tamia Garvin said.
Residents were excited to plant and work in their gardens.
“It was a really fun experience. It was something different and I really enjoyed it,” Garvin said.
They’re also excited to be able to give back to others.
“They’re so excited to be able to harvest cucumbers and tomatoes that will not only be for our kitchen and for our families here at Nurture Home, but also to share with any hungry people that pass by. Our women have such generous hearts because they know what it’s like to be homeless,” Fulghum said.
If you would like to donate or find out more information you can find information on the organization’s website.
