table, where they transplant seedlings of pansies, marigolds, petunias and other plants into 1-gallon containers. It’s this time at the table, when employees are standing up and talking, that bonding and trust begins, said Frank Ricceri, TMHA vocational services director and head of the Growing Grounds program. “A typical trajectory for someone is, they come in kind of anxious, always anxious, afraid, quiet. Three months to six months in, they’re starting to open their eyes a bit more to what’s going on here and feel comfortable,” Ricceri said. He came to the nursery in 1988 after answering an ad for a farmer. His background is in business, but he said he always wanted to work the land. He’s been with the Growing Grounds program ever since, managing the nursery that takes in a half million dollars a year. Breaking a stigma “I got the job and I started and found that I was working with people who were exceptional, in the sense that I learned about different kinds of mental illness from them: bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, chronic depression, all kinds of things,” Ricceri said. “They were my workforce here.” More than 80% of people with serious mental illness are unemployed, according to the National Alliance of Mental Health. Everyone who comes into the Growing Grounds program must have been diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness.
Besides helping people, Growing Grounds strives to break the st igma of menta l i l lness. The program’s downtown store boasts a large sign stating the store supports mental health awareness. Managers who work with the participants are trained in mental health. “Our workforce supports one another and that is a common benefit to mental health, is people have a lot of compassion and empathy for one another. There’s an unspoken camaraderie and support that happens among our workforce here,” Ricceri said. “No one has done what we have done with our use of therapeutic horticulture as a basis for healing. Work itself is healing, but work outdoors with plants is incredibly healing.” Gaining confidence through horticulture Story said employees tell her how much they enjoy coming to the store because of how calm and peaceful they feel among the plants. “It’s truly delightful to see. You can imagine a person coming in who is very hesitant, unsure of themselves and looking down at the ground. After a number of shifts, of meeting success and being encouraged and getting good feedback from customers and staff, they start looking more directly at people and speaking clearly and speaking more,” she said. Story said she’s pleased to see the success and community support that comes out of the 15-foot-wide space.
Heather O’Meagher, far left, confers with Program Director Frank Ricceri, who leads clients including Sheri Grayson and Matt Jakubowski in exercise, left. Grayson and co-worker Annabelle Merino, right, transplant seedlings at the worktable.
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