Tomball Area Nonprofits Partner to Grow, Distribute Produce to Neighbors in Need
Nestled behind Tomball Methodist Church on Baker Road, a bountiful community garden provides a vital source of fresh produce for those in need across the Tomball region, while giving locals an opportunity to recharge and exercise their green thumb in service of others.
In partnership with Tomball Assistance Ministries (TEAM), the Tomball Community Garden grows over 3,000 pounds of produce every year. All of the vegetables that are grown and harvested from this garden are donated directly to TEAM and distributed on Tuesdays and Thursdays to TEAM clients. The amount of time, care, logistical planning and coordination makes this operation such a success, thanks to the many hands who help run the garden.
Every Thursday, volunteers from across the region like members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tomball, local Girl Scouts, and many others come to the 20-acre plot of land that the garden rests on to plant, cultivate and harvest fresh produce year round. It's an opportunity to get up-close with nature, to break away from the daily grind, and give back to those in need.
According to Charles Hall, professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture in the Department of Horticultural Sciences of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Bryan-College Station, there are many psychological benefits of plants and the activity of gardening in a variety of categories, including anxiety and stress reduction, decreased depression, reduced effects of dementia and more. Hall believes that being in natural settings and engaging in activities like gardening have a positive impact on people’s feelings of vitality and energy.
Couple that with the mental health benefits of giving back through volunteerism, the Tomball Community Garden could, for many, be a haven for personal wellness. For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tomball, it's a place to connect with others in service through long-term commitment. Recently, volunteers celebrated the addition of a new maintenance shed donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tomball.
Interested in helping out at the Tomball Community Garden? Email tomballgarden@gmail.com or call 281-351-1249 for more details. Groups are welcome!
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Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
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