Canada: Burnaby community garden brings hope, relief for women in recovery

“Gardening is so beneficial in so many ways,” Tait said. “It gets women outside and it gives them a purpose.”

By Maryse Zeidler
CBC News
May 22, 2021

Excerpt:

Claudette Samson has a new morning routine these days.

An early riser, Samson, 53, heads straight out to the garden plot in her backyard and spends the first hour of her day weeding, watering and tending to the growing vegetables.

“It’s a great way to connect with my higher power in the morning,” Samson said, sitting on a stool among the cucumbers, strawberries and lettuce.

Samson is a resident at the Charlford House Society’s transitional housing for women. Residents can live there for up to two years after they’ve been through the organization’s main recovery program.

After six years of sobriety, the loneliness and isolation Samson experienced during the pandemic led her to relapse.

But today, she’s feeling better than ever thanks in part to a community garden built for her and the nearly 30 residents of Charlford House’s recovery centre and transitional housing in Burnaby, B.C.

Gardening proponents say the hobby isn’t just about growing vegetables — it’s also a boon for mental health.

Read the complete article here.