This past Sunday, SALEM Ecuador volunteers prepared and delivered hundreds of seedlings and sacks of compost to local families that participate in the SALEM Ecuador Family Garden Initiative. Jonas Lange, Director of SALEM Ecuador gets to the heart of the matter,

“The garden is a therapeutic space. The Family Garden Initiative is a perfect opportunity for the SALEM team to get out and visit local families, check in, provide gardening assistance while interacting with the family as a whole.”

During the months of April, May and June of this year, local SALEM volunteers helped separate large food donations into smaller boxes for families at the SALEM Center. Their efforts gave relief to low income families on a weekly basis by distributing a combination of dry goods and fresh vegetables and fruits. The initiative to send donated seed packets began after only a few weeks. Soon, SALEM families that registered for the Family Garden Initiative discovered how to grow food in the green spaces around their homes.

What began as a tiny sprout has become a life force spiraling out, evolving into thriving family gardens throughout the community of Mindo. Although it’s unlikely the families participating in the Family Garden Initiative will become fully self-sustaining from their home garden, they will have many opportunities to exercise SALEM values such as respect, honesty, trust, and patience in the garden and in the home.

As this program grows, the SALEM team will continue to provide encouragement and support to economically and socially vulnerable families during this current pandemic period. Despite social distancing, SALEM has found a way to provide an outreach program and take the support directly to the families in most need during these changing times.

You can download the complete version of this news article here: Family Garden Initiative Complete

Do you want to see this program grow and bloom into a permanent project for SALEM families to participate in? Please make a donation to the SALEM Ecuador Family Garden Initiative by giving online @ https://salem-ecuador.org/donate/ , where you can also find information about our legal charitable status.

You can learn more about other projects and initiatives here: https://salem-ecuador.org/news/

We currently need help with the Teen Center Cabin Remodel, Family Garden Initiative and SALEM Counseling Project. If you or your group or association would like to learn more about these activities, please don’t hesitate to reach out to molly@salem-ecuador.org

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