Monday, June 07, 2021

PEPPER PIKE….Children in Beech Brook’s foster care program will be able to experience the magic of planting a garden and the reward of seeing it come to life, thanks to a partnership with Fostering Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children in the foster care system.

The “Hope Grows Here” garden was planted in 2015 by Fostering Hope on Beech Brook’s Pepper Pike campus for children in residential treatment, according to Tom Royer, Beech Brook president/CEO. Following the closure of the residential program in 2016, the garden was no longer used.

“Although we no longer provide residential treatment, Fostering Hope has continued to provide outstanding support for our foster families over the years,” said Royer. “We were delighted when they approached us about restoring the garden so that our foster kids could engage in outdoor activities that promote self-esteem and allow them to experience the calming and healing influence of nature. That’s something that will be so beneficial for these kids who have been severely traumatized.”

Karen Carter, executive director of Fostering Hope, and a group of community volunteers brought the garden back to its original beauty over several weekends this spring. The garden has raised beds for each child to design and plant a variety of fruit, vegetables, and other plants of their choosing. In the outdoor classroom area of the garden, Fostering Hope, alongside the staff at Beech Brook, will provide gardening activities throughout the summer that incorporate STEAM and therapeutic aspects. The garden will be a place for hope and healing, a goal of many of Fostering Hope’s programs, according to Carter.

The “Hope Grows Here” garden is located on Beech Brook’s campus at 3737 Lander Road where Fostering Hope also maintains offices.

For more information about the garden, contact Karen Carter at k.carter@fosteringhopeohio.org or Nancy Kortemeyer nkortemeyer@beechbrook.org.

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Founded in 1852, today Beech Brook is a behavioral health agency that serves Northeast Ohio’s most vulnerable children and families through more than 40 programs, nearly 100 school partnerships, early childhood services, foster care and parent education and support. Learn more at www.beechbrook.org.

Fostering Hope connects over 1,000 youth a year in residential treatment with unique experiences of hope and healing through its’ typical childhood experiences, health and wellness and community involvement programs. Learn more