Helping Hand Home for Children

Helping Hand Home is a residential treatment center in central Austin that serves children in foster care ages 4 to 12 who have suffered severe abuse and neglect and are experiencing emotional and behavioral problems. The children receive therapeutic treatment, education and enrichment, and foster and adoptions services. The Home serves 210 children and family members each year, 70 of these in our residential treatment program.

This grant will improve our children's health by teaching them organic gardening, valuable food growing skills, and cooking skills. Our new program will accomplish this goal through the following:

1. Making organic gardening an enrichment activity for the children that is taught at least once a week after school and on weekends.
2. Using food grown in the Home's garden at the Home's kitchen on a consistent basis.
3. Incorporating elements of horticulture therapy while working on the garden.