Create a Living Legacy
Join us as we work together to create an exciting positive social change and make trauma-focused therapeutic community gardens a reality.
“The success of this project is that everyone has a valuable part to play. These gardens are being built by the community for the community. They are owned by the community and valued by the community. The aim is to celebrate everyone involved every step of the way. Life is about celebrating the little things which, when gathered together, become the most valuable things – they are the essence of what creates shared happiness.” – Natasha Donnelly
Mission Statement
TFTC Gardens will be involved in the research, design, evaluation, support, and funding for organizations to build gardens designed around trauma recovery initiatives for at-risk youth.
Use of Funds
Donations are being accepted through our Go Fund Me fundraiser. Donations received will be used towards our first garden installation at Cumberland Juvenile Detention Center and to seed future gardens for at-risk youth. All funds will be deposited into the TFTC Gardens organization bank account.
Garden areas being funded:
- hardscape pathways
- natural pathways with mulch
- plants within the rainbow pattern
- plants within herb and vegetable garden
- structure for a small outdoor classroom
- sunshades for the garden area
- irrigation system
- gardening tools
- basketball court resurfacing
- exterior murals
- exterior tile student artwork
- fountain fixture and plumbing
- grass for open areas
- mosaic and decorative pieces for hardscape pathways
- interactive learning and therapy app
- interactive color therapy app
Focus
The focus is to provide safe spaces for recovery, ways of connecting with others and for vocational training. These gardens will include sensory zones, plantings for education and reconnecting with nature–including where food comes from; outdoor classrooms, active art areas, pacing pathways, and poetry reading/ yoga spaces. The goal is that these multipurpose outdoor spaces will be built in youth centers across North Carolina and beyond.
The Power of Your Donations
A custom guidebook for this trauma-focused therapeutic space will accompany the gardens to suggest ways that each special section could be utilized by students, staff, and visitors.
These unique trauma-focused gardens will –
- Provide safe spaces and activities for trauma recovery – including sensory plants, pathways, Luke’s Leap of Faith (an accessible mosaic river with stepping stones), colored spaces for mood expression, yoga, and art expression walls. Innovative approaches with a guidebook to enhance the recovery process.
- Encourage social connections – a space for group work, joining together and providing healthy conversation topics about garden life and activities.
- Provide vocational training – learning about plants, growing healthy vegetables, learning to cook with fresh vegetables, building garden structures and more.
- Promote science education – educational experiences in outdoor classrooms to enhance the learning experience.
- Provide spaces for community and family engagement.
- Aid in suicide prevention.
- Facilitate stress relief for staff – to reduce staff burnout and improve staff retention.
Donate Today
Join us as we work together to create an exciting positive social change. Be a part of our trauma-focused therapeutic community gardens© becoming a reality. Donate Today!