Garden nourishes seeds of peace, hope
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers MORE THAN MERE CROPS- United Way campaign division director Terri Belkin, left, and United Way marketing director Letitia Austin admire the healthy tomato plants growing in the newly established garden at the RAIN Transitional Housing Center in Camarillo last week. The flower and vegetable garden was a special project by the current Ventura County Leadership Class in Camarillo.

The seeds have already begun to sprout throughout the garden planted by the 12th class of the Ventura County Leadership Academy.

The 22 graduates built a quarter-acre garden in hopes that Mother Nature's soothing qualities will help heal emotional scars of people living at the RAIN Project Transitional Living Center in Camarillo.

The leadership academy is designed to develop residents to help improve the quality of life in Ventura County,

"I loved the program," said academy graduate Letitia Austin, who is also marketing director for the United Way of Ventura County, one of the funding sources for the 13-year old academy.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to leave a lasting impression for residents of the shelter," she said.

"For children to be able to watch things grow . . . and put their hands in the dirt, you've just enriched their lives with this," Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long told the graduates. "I appreciate you immensely."

RAIN is not an emergency shelter but offers residents- traumatized by hunger, homelessness and abuse- a home for up to 24 months and teaches them how to become self-sufficient and attain permanent housing.

As many as 75 people can live on the RAIN campus, which has individual living units large enough that families can stay together in one space. For many residents, RAIN is their first permanent home, Director Debbie Hyde said.

"This is one of the most beautiful examples I've seen of public and private partnerships," she said.

Hyde said studies show gardening is therapeutic in reducing anxiety and lowering blood pressure. Tinkering in the garden may help the parents heal their emotional wounds so they can be supportive of their children, she added.

While her 2-year-old son strolled among the rows of new redwood planters filled with budding tomatoes, basil and pansies, RAIN resident Christina Smith said she appreciated all the hard work academy members put into constructing the garden.

"They did a great job," Smith, 29, said.

Norman Beebe of Camarillo said he and his fellow graduates chose RAIN as their class project to bring attention to the unique housing program.

During the nine-month long academy, participants learn about regional issues, such as land use, economic development, government infrastructure and environmental matters, and meet with key decision makers from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. They cap their experience by completing a community project.

"It changes people's lives," Beebe said of RAIN.