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Writer's pictureLisa Lafrance

Learning, Healing, and Community Connection Blossom at Garden

When Impact The Palm Beaches planted a $100,000 seed at the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center, we couldn't have imagined the forest of opportunities that would grow! Our two garden spaces - Edna's Nature Preserve, created in collaboration with Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management - and Simon's Giving Garden - created in collaboration with the University of Florida - have blossomed into hubs of learning, healing, and community connection.


Each year, over 125 students and 75 seniors dig in, getting their hands dirty and their hearts full. But the growth doesn't stop at our fence line! Our young gardeners have spread the joy by creating and donating more than 800 container gardens to the community.


The gardens are more than an outdoor classroom for STEM, they have been a feast for the senses and the mind. Many of our kids have had their first tastes of exotic fruits like kumquats and star fruit, and discovered the delights of homegrown veggies. This expansion of palates has led to an explosion of curiosity and a brand new trade program for culinary arts! This year that curiosity has sprouted into something even bigger. What started as a desire to cook garden-fresh produce has flourished into a comprehensive trade program. Now, alongside culinary arts, our students are building futures in carpentry and styling dreams in cosmetology. Talk about organic growth!


These gardens aren't just growing plants; they're cultivating skills, nurturing dreams, and harvesting a healthier, more connected community. From the calm of nature's classroom to the buzz of new career paths, the Impact The Palm Beaches grant continues to bear fruit in ways we never imagined.


Your generosity has taken root in our community, branching out to touch lives in countless ways. Thank you for helping us grow something truly extraordinary! 🙏💚


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