Expect to see something new sprouting at Growing Grounds Farm in Santa Maria. The farm recently received a $25,000 grant from the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Katherine Harvey Fellows program, according to an announcement from Transitions Mental Health Association, which runs the farm.
The farm is a nonprofit facet of Transitions Mental Health and provides horticultural therapy and employment to adults with mental illnesses on the Central Coast. The farm aims to provide therapy and vocational training, as well as a supportive environment for personal growth.
“This gift could not have come at a better time. The Santa Barbara Foundation has been instrumental in helping people live with mental illness by supporting job training and therapy,” Frank Ricceri, Transitions Mental Health Association’s associate director, said in a press release.
Located at 812 W. Foster Road in Santa Maria, Growing Grounds Farm has demonstrated innovation and strong leadership, according to Katherine Harvey Fellows officials.
The Santa Barbara Foundation’s fellows have raised $100,000 to support education, homelessness, and health care, with priority for collaborative efforts and initiatives that build self sufficiency—something the program’s directors believe everyone should have the ability to aim for.
For more information on Growing Grounds Farm, visit the Transitions Mental Health Association website at t-mha.org.
Intern Gabby Hendriksen compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 11-18, 2009.
