A Salvation Army community garden plot brings renewal for men in recovery

For 10 years, The Salvation Army Canoga Park Adult Rehabilitation Center in California has leased a nearby garden plot and brought beneficiaries to cultivate, nurture and harvest crops as part of their rehabilitation journey.

 

For the past decade, the Saturday morning practice of tending the garden for an hour and a half has supported beneficiaries’ recoveries.

 

Weather permitting, a group of two to three men come to the garden weekly to plant seeds, pull weeds, water and eventually harvest crops.

Providing an activity that many haven’t experienced since childhood can evoke a sense of nostalgia, transporting them back to a time before addiction.

 

As they work outdoors, a Salvation Army pastor imparts lessons of the soil, drawing from biblical parables to support men in their journey through recovery. They emphasize the phrase “redeeming the dirt,” utilizing the garden to transform lives and foster a sense of giving back and doing good.

 

 

Learn more about The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers at SalvationArmyusa.org