Causes: Animals, Botanical, Horticultural & Landscape Services, Environment, Mental Health, Substance Abuse Dependency, Prevention & Treatment

Mission: Mission StatementBringing Recovery and Nature Together

Results: Green Care is a well-established international concept that uses animals, plants and nature in an interactive process to offer health-promoting activities for people. With this concept in mind our programs are designed to support transitioning young adults ages 18-28 re-integrating into society with mental health challenges, substance use challenges or from incarceration, those most often left behind. Our programs utilize humane education within the following areas; agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, animal care and other nature based areas. By encompassing these specific service areas and changing the role of the individual from service receiver to service assistant they build a sense of responsibility, self-efficacy, empathy and compassion as well as establish personal boundaries and most importantly teamwork and leadership skills. Our philosophy is that if our at risk young adults youth are given chances to explore their natural strengths in a trauma informed, safe, nature-based environment caring for animals and plants while being mentored by caring adults, that those strengths will develop with a sense of responsibility and pride.

Target demographics: Young adults ages 18 - 28 in recovery with mental health, substance use or reentry from incarceration

Geographic areas served: Recovery

Programs: volunteerism and internships in agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, animal care and other nature based areas.