GROWING HEALTHY VETERANS
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Mission Statement
GROWING HEALTHY VETERANS MISSION is to engage veterans in sustainable agricultural practices to enhance their physical and mental health, along with overall wellness, while exposing them to opportunities for employment and connecting them to their communities
About This Cause
GROWING HEALTHY VETERANS (GHV) use Horticultural Therapy and sustainable agricultural practice in their three programs to help Veterans from the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) and through the Veteran Court of Lake County find relief from the demons that they have had to deal with as a result of their service to this country. The first program is a large community garden, North Chicago Commons (NCC), in North Chicago Illinois that is designed for Veterans, Active Duty Military, (specifically recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Station,) and the FHCCr, both of which are in North Chicago, and for the residents of North Chicago and from around Lake County who wish to have their own garden plots. Working in this community garden not only provides horticulture therapy but also serves to have the Veterans find ways to continue their service to our country by growing food for those in need. North Chicago is an impoverished community without even one supermarket.. The second program is on land donated by the Gurnee American Legion, where GHV is building hoop house in order to extended growing season. These hoop houses serve the same population as North Chicago Commons, however a large portion of the food grown in the hoop houses will be sold to help generate an stream of income for the organization and to teach interested Veterans, Active Duty and residents how to prepare produce for market. Both programs have contributed to tremendous success stories, especially for the Veterans who have done their Community Service requirements for the Veterans Court. One Veteran is quoted to say the "Growing Healthy Veterans my life around" at his graduation. Other Veterans have similar stories. The last smaller program is an indoor program at both the Federal Health Care Center and the Gurnee American Legion where Veterans learn to grow and market microgreens during the winter months when they cannot be outdoors.