Heroic Gardens, a nonprofit that helps veterans find peace and purpose through gardening, is beautifying Northeast Philadelphia by turning a vacant lot into a community garden, writes Eva Andersen for CBS News Philadelphia.
U.S. Army veteran Mike Peterman is one of many who have described the experience of working with soil as life-changing.
“I have PTSD, and I’m constantly moving,” he said. “I have trouble being still. When I get out in the soil, it helps me slow down a lot.”
Peterman left the army in 2006, and began struggling with a loss of purpose since. He started to fill this hole in 2009 with the help of Heroic Gardens.
The nonprofit was founded by Collie Turner as a tribute to her grandfather, who served as a medic in World War II.
“We can’t heal them as people, but we can help them learn to heal their land,” said Turner. “In doing so, they will learn to heal themselves.”
Volunteers recently gathered to use a no-till, “lasagna-style” gardening method before planting spring flower bulbs. In May, they plan on planting sunflowers. The organization hopes the garden will provide employment for up to 12 veterans.
The goal is to open the garden to the public by July.
Read more about Heroic Gardens and how it helps veterans in CBS News Philadelphia.
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