Friday, April 22, 2016

The Reach of a Helping Hand: How Volunteerism is Impacting EP!C

One afternoon, one day a week, one hour a week... a helping hand can go a long way, and as they say, many hands make light work. Marc, our EP!C Harvest Garden Specialist, has been fortunate enough to have firsthand experience with how big of a difference volunteering can make.

Over the past several weeks, EP!C has benefited from the help of several groups of volunteers, many of whom come from Caterpillar and Ameren. This time of year is always a busy and somewhat stressful one for the Harvest: spring flower orders are coming in, the garden needs to be prepared, and plants need to be seeded. This year, we also are growing some special crops, including a variety of edible flower found in Brazil that is reminiscent of poprocks and special requests from Chef Darren McGrady for his gourmet dinner featuring Harvest produce in September. While all of this makes for an exciting gardening season, it also requires a significant amount of work.

In the last month we have had seven separate groups of 15-20 volunteers come in give us a hand, and they have not only eased Marc's workload but also helped EP!C as a whole. In one afternoon of work, one group of volunteers was able to do what would have taken Marc two weeks to complete. The volunteers have helped prepare spring flower hanging baskets; seed herbs; plant lettuce, onions, peppers, and potatoes; and transplant tomatoes. The most recent group, a volunteer group from CAT, transplanted 468 tomato plants in one afternoon! Needless to say, the work these dedicated volunteers has done has made a significant impact!

The extra help in the garden has enabled Marc to utilize the space and materials he has to more effectively grow more produce for sale while also helping make the cost of the EP!C Harvest program more sustainable. Having a healthy and vibrant Harvest program enables individuals to participate in cultivation and growing, which is as educational as it is therapeutic. As the volunteer groups demonstrate, it is also a space where community is built. It provides opportunities for individuals at EP!C, supports local restaurants and businesses, and builds relationships between EP!C and community businesses and members. Volunteering at EP!C, whether in the garden, in the EP!Casso art program, or in an administrative role goes a long way in helping us serve our community by supporting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.



If you or a group are interested in volunteering at EP!C, take a look at opportunities on our website to see how you can make a difference!


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