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Growing Hope: H.O.P.E. Gardens provides essential food and resources for Wyoming families

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Growing Dreams: A New Community Garden for Families & Neighbors (Video courtesy of H.O.P.E. Gardens)


By AnchorPoint Christian School Youth Contributors


AnchorPoint students help plant garlic in the new garden (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)

H.O.P.E. Gardens stands for Help Other People Eat. Located in Grand Rapids, H.O.P.E. Gardens is dedicated to making a positive change in local communities by helping families and individuals grow their own food.

Teaching community members how to cultivate fresh and sustainable food resources gives individuals and families better access to nutritious and affordable food.

Originally founded in 2004 by Byron Center resident Gary Lemke, H.O.P.E. Gardens has since expanded to educate Wyoming organizations and other local communities on the importance of sustainable food resources.

Family Network of Wyoming (FNW) has partnered with H.O.P.E. Gardens to provide that resource for local families.

“When we have gardens, and when we have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, it helps impact health,” said Javonte Tubbs, Executive Director at Family Network of Wyoming.

“If you eat healthy fruits and vegetables all day, you’re going to be in great health. Fresh fruits and vegetables have a lot of nutrients and vitamins and good things for your body.”

Realizing a dream, meeting a need

AnchorPoint Christian School – in collaboration with FNW, H.O.P.E. Gardens Executive Director Julie Brunson, and Express Employment Professionals & Specialized Recruiting Group of Grand Rapids owner Janis Petrini – recently helped install a no-till nature-based garden in Wyoming.

(Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)

This garden came to fruition as a way to honor Theresa Drost, a valued employee of Express Pros who recently passed away.

“Theresa’s passion was having a garden and a beautification place around the garden,” said Tubbs. “Janis and Julie got together to find a location to have a garden in memory of Theresa. Family Network of Wyoming had the space and wanted to do a garden as well. It was a perfect partnership.”

That dream was realized as AnchorPoint students prepared the land to begin a new garden where local families will come together to grow food and community.

(Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)

“The Kent County Needs Assessment states that one out of six adults experiences food insecurity,” said Tubbs. “That means we need more community gardens, we need more access to healthy fruits and vegetables. Pantries and gardens are places that provide that access.”

Tubbs says there will be people from the community who come to help plant the food, and who will also receive some of that food for their families. And Tubbs plans to join in the fun.

“I love to help,” Tubbs said. “What makes people want to help is a sense of community, a sense of togetherness.”

Butterfly gardens and toad houses – both excellent contributors to the environment – can also be found at H.O.P.E. Gardens.

A willingness to help

Tubbs joined FNW in October of 2023 and said he enjoys both the people and the work.

(Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)

“I like Julie and H.O.P.E. Gardens because they have a passion to connect people with healthy fruit and vegetables,” said Tubbs.

“My favorite part of working at Family Network is the volunteers,” Tubbs continued. “Their passion to help, their willingness to be there, to be present, and to be there with smiles. There is a lot of great energy there; everybody is willing to help.”

Growing food…and passion!

H.O.P.E. Gardens is making a change that begins with our youth and fostering a passion for growing food through interactive, eco-friendly learning experiences.

That passion is evident in the students at AnchorPoint. These local students will continue helping with the FNW garden by planting seeds in the spring and participating in the harvest.

(Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)

Resource links

For more information about H.O.P.E. Gardens, visit hopegardensgr.org. To learn more about the Family Network of Wyoming, visit fntw.org.

*View the “Growing Dreams” garden photo gallery below, courtesy of Kim Omanchi, APCS:

  • AnchorPoint students are welcomed and receive instruction on how to begin the new garden (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • Students begin laying the foundation for the garden (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • Students receive instruction on how to plant garlic (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • Students plant garlic in the new garden (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • Students plant garlic in the new garden (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)
  • Students enjoyed donuts after their hard work (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi APCS)

Contributors

This article was written and produced by the 3rd-4th grade students of Wyoming’s AnchorPoint Christian School under the direction of Team 2 teacher Kim Omanchi.

Team 2: Henry Bloomer, Elijah Ducher, Henrik Gagnon, Leonard Gagnon, Jaxon Glas, Logan Henderson, Toby Lehnen, Alan Perez, Nathan Simeon, Joseph Vasquez and Kareen Zuiderveen

Saugatuck Center for the Arts Farmers Market opens Friday

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Farmers Market season opens Friday, May 26, for the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (SCA). This weekly market features local growers and craftsmen from 9 a.m – 3 p.m every Friday starting May 26 and running until Sept. 29 in the SCA’s parking lot, located at 400 Culver St. Each Friday, more than 20 vendors set up tents  in the SCA’s parking lot. The vendors offer a variety of local produce as well as crafts such as jewelry, bags, photo art, and more. All of the goods are grown, produced, or created by the people selling them.

 

Visitors to the market are treated to free coffee from Uncommon Grounds and live music. New this year are guest vendors, who will be at the market once a month. Also new this year is the bi-weekly “Taste of the Market.” This event runs from 10 a.m. – noon every other market day and offers recipe ideas and samples created from products at the market.

 

All of these offerings are wrapped in a friendly small town feel. SCA  Farmers Market Manager Bill Galligan says “the best thing about the Market for me is the sense of community. Because we’re a small market, my vendors have more interaction with each other and are more supportive of each other than in the larger markets in the area. Hopefully that sense of community extends out to our visitors.”

 

This sense of community is a highlight for SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong as well. She says “the Market is a wonderful gathering place! You run into friends and neighbors, have a cup of coffee, and chat with vendors. You can really experience two of the truly special things about Saugatuck: our agricultural & arts traditions.”

 

For the third year in a row, the farmers market vendors will accept SNAP Cards and Double Bucks. These programs make the market affordable and give low-income families the opportunity to buy healthy food locally. The market is open rain or shine. For more information on this event please visit sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.