Photos| Dylan Davis/Herald-Advocate
BENNETTSVILLE—Sometimes the best therapy comes from working the earth.
Thanks to a grant and some help from Bennettsville’s mayor, the residents at Zion’s Care will be getting a dose of horticultural therapy and the benefits of fresh vegetables that they’re growing themselves.
Zion’s Care is a nonprofit organization in Bennettsville that provides short-term housing and transitional services to help their clients transition into the community. Pastor Franklin Washington is the organization’s director.
“One part of horticultural therapy is that it gives a person a sense of purpose and they are responsible for something else and that may help them deflect some negative feelings. When people of all ages are engaged in gardening activities, they are engaged in something that is purposeful,” said Carolyn Prince.
There are five residents at Zion Care and Prince has been assisting the residents in planting their fall crops, which include collards, kale, cabbage, and broccoli.
“Some of them remember that grandmother had a garden and they will remember eating freshly cooked collard greens. They can sit at the table with pride and say we grew these,” she said. “For the residents in the facility, they need something to engage in.”
With the $1,900 grant, Zion’s Care was able to build an accessible garden with raised beds that can be accessed by clients who may have disabilities.
“It’s been joyful,” Washington said about having the garden. “They go put back and enjoy looking and seeing the difference that is taking place.”
Washington said the horticultural therapy has made an immediate impact on the men at Zion’s Care.
“We have one resident who comes out more now. He used to stay in his room but now he’s coming out and he’s going to look out back at the different things that’s going on,” he said.
Zion’s Care has been in the community for nearly two years and Washington said the addition of horticultural therapy to their programs will be a benefit.
“It gives them an opportunity to have an activity to do right at home,” he said