How Does Your Garden Grow?

As summer returned, so too did the beautiful garden the young women who call Megan’s House home have been working on for two years now.

The garden, which was made possible through a $10,000 grant awarded by NetScout and administered by the Greater Lowell Community Foundation last year, has become a major source of pride for the residents.

It is also a crucial part of the holistic treatment offered through the Megan’s House program. Residents of Megan’s House worked side by side with NetScout volunteers last year in creating the garden, a process both groups thoroughly enjoyed and celebrated with a cookout when the work was completed.

A highly acclaimed local community gardening organization, Mill City Grows, helped train Megan’s House residents in successful gardening techniques. Those lessons have born much fruit, or should we say vegetables, over the last two growing seasons.

This year’s garden offerings include tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, red peppers, zucchini, broccoli, kale and banana peppers. The produce is used in daily meal preparation. To show their appreciation for the support they’ve received while at Megan’s House, the residents donate excess produce to local food pantries and homeless shelters, yet another sign of their growth and an understanding of what it means to give back to the community.