Throughout the 2024 growing season, Allies’ Project Grow participants grew and donated more than 1,637 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks and people in need.
The Project Grow program is located at several facilities throughout the state. Currently, Project Grow visits several day habilitation programs on a regular basis. Certain day programs, including the one located in Flemington, use raised beds to facilitate gardening. In addition to these resources, the team also makes use of community garden plots at the Mercer County Community College and Duke Farms.
In total, the Mercer County Community College gardens afforded the donation of 1336 pounds of produce. The plots and individuals volunteering at Duke Farm generated 93.5 pounds of produce, while the plots at Flemington Day Program garnered 94.5 pounds of produce.
“My favorite part of coordinating and working with Project Grow is getting to bring a group out to the community garden, or to their own raised beds,” MaryAnne McMillan, HTR, said.
Throughout the 2024 growing season, participants in Project Grow learned about the importance and varieties of companion plants. Companion plants are any kinds of plants that can be planted in tandem and provide a benefit to the environment around them. In addition to a horticultural lesson, McMillan and Project Grow staff also used the opportunity to open the discussion about the benefits of having trusted companions in daily life.
“It is really amazing, getting to see the response from those who participate in the work we do at Project Grow,” Beth Lopez, VP of Day Habilitation Services at Allies, said.
In addition to the Allies full-time staff who make Project Grow possible, there are many others who work with Project Grow to make it possible for the program to achieve its levels of success.
Nick Stryker has worked with Project Grow for 13 years.
“Project Grows provides an opportunity to Allies consumers to grow and care for vegetables, herbs, and flowers to maturity that are then harvested and donated to local food banks,” Stryker said. “I hope it is rewarding for them to be a part of this process. Working in the garden allows them another avenue to improve upon, or maintain, their interpersonal skills, physical health, vocational skills, and cognitive abilities.”
Project Grow relies on more than just the volunteers from Allies’ day habilitation programs. In terms of volunteers, two local high schools, Hightstown and Robbinsville, sent volunteers to work with Project Grow. Students from the Mercer County Community College DREAMS program also regularly participate in the work being done at the Mercer County Community College garden plots.
Allies and Project Grow would like to thank the volunteers and organizations that contributed to grants, making the 2024 Project Grow season a success. Thank you to the Burpee Foundation and the Garden Club of Somerset Hills.
As the weather begins cooling down and the winter sets in, McMillan and the Project Grow team and planning lessons for the 2025 season. The main lessons will focus on pollinators and the way they impact gardens and nature.