Garden Joy: A Beautiful Symbol of Hope and Growth | Shared by: Hannah Landgraf, Senior Program Manager | July 12, 2022

Our team is often encouraged to share victories with each other - no matter how small they may seem. Hannah, our Senior Program Manager recently shared this wonderful story of growth and positivity after visiting with one of her program tenants: 

"I have been working with a Burmese individual who was living in the skywalks and under the bridge off SW 9th Street. We moved him into his apartment [with Anawim] at the end of March. 

Due to the language barrier, it has been difficult to communicate with him. However, we connected him with a local organization and he is now finishing his first week at a full-time job! 

I went to check in on him yesterday and noticed his garden. What was once a small patch of grass off his front stoop is now a thriving vegetable garden. 

It is a joy to see how far he has come in a few short months - how he has taken pride in his home and how he has created something out of nothing. 

I feel like the garden is a beautiful symbol of the growth that is possible with stable housing."