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Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Special Advertising Section 30Conservation District to pilot Harvestat Home %u2014 a free program to increaseaccess to gardening for residents ofSouth Snohomish County. %u201cHarvest atHome will provide access to verticalgardening kits, a method of growingplants on vertical structures which isideal for people with limited space,%u201dEdwards says. %u201cThe pilot will partner with community organizations Homage and the Washington West AfricanCenter to connect to seniors who havespace and resource limitations, alongwith an interest in growing their ownfood.%u201dParticipants also will attend aworkshop where they%u2019ll learn how tosuccessfully grow several culturallyrelevant foods on vertical structures. Through this program, two ediblecommunity gardens will be developed, too %u2014 one in partnership with theEdmonds Boys & Girls Club. Acommunity garden will allow them tostart a gardening club to educate andengage elementary students in afterschool and summer programs. Thesecond garden, at SeaMar CommunityHealth Center in Lynnwood, willincorporate gardening into healtheducation programs that promotenutrition as a means to manage suchconditions as diabetes and heartdisease.The challenge with nonprofitswanting to start a gardening programoften can be startup costs, Edwardsadmits. %u201cIn our project, we wereable to match Verdant funding withfunding that The Snohomish CountyConservation District was able tosecure,%u201d she says.Edwards hopes that their model mightbe helpful for other organizations andnonprofits wanting to follow suit. %u201cWe know that high-fat, high-carbohydratefoods are inexpensive, and healthy foods are more expensive,%u201d she shares.%u201cThis model will empower residentsto grow their own vegetables attheir residence that they can easilymaintain and access.%u201d Also, their pilotwill demonstrate an ongoing effort toincrease community access to healthyfoods and gardening as a positivemental health activity %u2014 something that can be replicated in communities nearand far.Within their whole community,Verdant aims to increase access toquality health services and programs.Since 2011, they%u2019ve invested more than$87 million in community organizations.Gardening brings about plenty of other complementary benefits,SPONSORED CONTENTPROVIDED BY VERDANT HEALTH COMMISSIONWith increasing food costs, risingdemand (by up to 36%) at local foodbanks and funding to these banks and food pantries being threatenedunder the new administration, foodself-sufficiency is turning into less ofan ideal and more into an essentialchoice for many. It makes sense thatgardening at home will continue to make its way into the spotlight. Asresidents explore options for cultivatingtheir own food, vertical gardening %u2014 aninnovative method of growing plantson vertical structures %u2014 proves idealfor people with limited space and those with limited mobility or reach, too. Yet while gardening is a viable solution for some, it does come withplenty of challenges that can preventlow-income residents and familiesfrom taking part. According to Lisa Edwards, superintendent of VerdantHealth Commission, gardening canbe expensive because of the startupcosts for supplies like containers, soil,fertilizer and plants. Folks can also have a tough time getting started oraccessing expertise along the way. %u201cLanguage barriers and knowing whoto talk to can also be a barrier,%u201d sheadds, %u201cas we now have more than 130languages spoken in South SnohomishCounty.%u201dAs one successful example of makingthis kind of gardening more accessible, Verdant Health Commission is partnering with SnohomishVertical gardening puts fresh, healthful produce within reachVerdant Health Commission,also known as Public HospitalDistrict No. 2, Snohomish County, works to ensure quality healthcare is available to all residentsof South Snohomish County byfunding nonprofits that increase access to health care. Learn moreat verdanthealth.org.As residents explore options for cultivating their own food, vertical gardening proves ideal for people with limited space or limited mobility. (Verdant Health Commission)Verdant Health Commission is partnering with Snohomish Conservation District to pilot Harvest at Home %u2014 a free program to increase access to gardening for residents of South Snohomish County. (Verdant Health Commission)from fostering social connectionsand intergenerational learning, toencouraging healthy eating habits.Edwards says, %u201cThe most gratifyingpart of the experience working forVerdant is collaborating with nonprofitorganizations to bring new healthprograms to the community that mostlikely would not exist otherwise.%u201dFor those wanting to also getinvolved and build their own, similarnonprofit, Edwards says, %u201cReach outto the WSU master Gardener Program and Conservation District in your areato explore opportunities to adapt and/or replicate this model.%u201d Now that theseeds have been sown, hopefullythese ideas can expand and flourish.