Bridge 21’s neurodiversity gardening club


PARK Metropolis, Utah — Liza Howell and Stephanie Polikoff are Co-Founding Board Directors of Bridge 21 Park Metropolis. They’re addressing housing for the neurodiverse neighborhood in Park Town, with a intention of having a wide range of housing choices so that when the populace graduates out of The Learning Heart, they have selections of locations to stay and methods to plug into the community as independently as attainable. “We have been started as a nonprofit in 2021 and prior to that, we sprang out of a group of dad and mom at the Nationwide Ability Centre. We are a Park City housing and transition committee.” Howell explained to me.

Bridge 21 gardeners at the top of the picture having a picnic dinner.
Bridge 21 gardeners, at the prime of the photograph, digging into a picnic right before digging into their plot. Photograph: Michele Roepke

Polikoff was the occupational therapist for the Park Metropolis School District for yrs and a long time and was Liza’s son, Andy’s O.T., and generally questioned where by the college students had been going to dwell when they develop up.

Bridge 21 has two plots at the Summit Neighborhood Gardens the place they fulfill just about every other week for their Buds And Blooms gatherings as portion of their Supportive Amenities for all ages.

Individuals on Wednesday afternoon bundled: Andy, Howell’s son Alex, whose family is Ukrainian Eva Jennings who is now a student at Utah Condition University’s Aggies Elevated, a software for learners with intelectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) Erin with her Aunt, Billie, and C.J. Haerter with his father, Chris.

Billie reported she gives Bridge 21, “Two thumbs up.”

C.J. explained, “I like Gardening a large amount. He additional that he, “enjoys rising vegetables and feeding on veggies.”

They undoubtedly get by with fingers in grime and have some gear but could often put some extra gardening equipment to use if Parkites had been so inclined to donate them. Volunteers are another useful resource this group could use and persons may signal up on their web site. In the long run, nonetheless, if they experienced their druthers, housing for these aforementioned associates to go to just after gardening would be daily life-shifting. “A multi-bed room household in close proximity to public transportation or walking-length to jobs and social functions give these people opportunities they deserve.” explained Howells.

Donations in direction of any or all all those resources might be made on their internet site.

For now however, for Wednesday evenings in the summer months in Park Metropolis, gardening and picnicking with friends places smiles on everyone’s faces.



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