Mission Statement

The Giving Garden Project fosters health, connection, and well-being by creating therapeutic gardens. We serve seniors and vulnerable populations, addressing food insecurity, mental health, social isolation, and ecological responsibility through accessible, community-driven gardening initiatives.

Values

Community: We thrive on collaboration, bringing people together through shared gardening and food experiences to foster a sense of belonging and mutual support.
Empathy: We are rooted in understanding and addressing the needs of seniors and vulnerable populations, ensuring that every initiative prioritizes care, compassion, and inclusivity.
Health and Well-being: We promote physical, mental, and emotional health, creating spaces where individuals can cultivate not only food but also well-being through therapeutic gardening and connection to the natural world.
Creativity: We embrace innovation and imagination, encouraging new ideas and artistic expression in our gardening projects to inspire connection, growth, and vibrant community spaces.
Resilience: We aim to empower individuals and communities to build resilience, particularly in overcoming challenges related to food insecurity, mental health, and social isolation.
Sustainability: We emphasize environmental stewardship, the project strives to create sustainable gardens that contribute to long-term health, both for individuals and for the planet.

The Giving Garden Project (TGGP) is a community-driven nonprofit that uses gardening to promote health, strengthen community connections, and increase food security. Our work focuses on improving the well-being of vulnerable populations—particularly seniors, individuals with disabilities, low-income households, caregivers, and culturally diverse communities—while also offering meaningful engagement opportunities for young growers, volunteers, and local partners.

Our Three Core Focus Areas

Health & Well-Being: We support mental health, nutrition, and overall well-being through inclusive gardening programs, with special emphasis on seniors living with dementia and individuals with disabilities.
Community Building: We reduce social isolation by fostering intergenerational connections and creating accessible, meaningful opportunities for people to engage, learn, and build relationships.
Food Security & Literacy: We improve access to fresh, culturally relevant food and promote food literacy, ensuring all participants—regardless of age, ability, or income—can grow, share, and enjoy nutritious food.

Who We Serve

TGGP serves a diverse community that includes:

Seniors and Older Adults: especially those in long-term care homes or experiencing dementia.
People with Disabilities: through accessible, therapeutic gardening programs.
Culturally Diverse Communities: with programming that reflects unique food traditions.
Low-Income Households: by improving access to fresh, nutritious food.
Caregivers and Support Workers: offering respite and shared activities.
Young Food Growers and Volunteers: fostering intergenerational learning and connection.

Special Projects

Storysharing

An intergenerational art project connecting long-term care residents with young farmers to share their memories of growing food, farming, and tending gardens. Together, farmers/facilitators and residents create a collaborative zine that blends oral history with visual art, honouring the gardeners behind the stories. The project fosters connection, reflection, and creativity, and produces a community-held record of the experiences of residents for themselves and the wider community.

Sample TGGP Zine

Background

The Giving Garden Project was developed to foster a sense of community and purpose among residents living in long-term care while empowering them to cultivate their own nutritious and delicious food. But the project has grown into something far more meaningful. It became a way to bring people together, share stories, and create lasting connections — all through the simple act of growing food. Since 2018 , the program has deepened our understanding of how profoundly food connects to our identities, shaping our preferences, traditions, and the people we choose to share a meal with.

Planting the First Seed

The Giving Garden Project began in 2018 as a heartfelt initiative by Maria Biasutti, founder of Orange Lily Group, a nutrition consulting organization, to serve seniors in long-term care residences with delicious and nutritious food. What started as a passion project has since blossomed into a unique business dedicated to enriching the lives of LTC residents. The inspiration behind it all is best shared in Maria’s own words:

“It all started from a simple apple seed and the curiosity of my then four-year-old son. He asked if we could plant the seed and see what happens. I wasn’t a green thumb — I had never tried to grow anything before — and to be honest, the idea scared me. I was afraid of failing him. But his faith in me sparked my curiosity, so we planted the seed together. To my surprise, it sprouted! Every morning, we watched the transformation — from seed to seedling, to the first tiny green leaves standing tall in the sunlight inside a red Dixie cup. It was a beautiful experience. It made me proud, deepened my bond with my son, and created a connection to nature that I’d never felt before.”

That moment of wonder planted a seed of another kind in Maria’s heart — one that grew into a vision of sharing that joy with others. At the time, Maria worked as a frontline registered dietitian in long-term care, supporting food service and clinical operations. She began to wonder: Could this simple act of growing something from seed bring happiness to the residents I care for? Could nurturing a garden spark connection and purpose for those living in long-term care?

From Seed to Harvest

In January 2019, the first Giving Garden pilot project launched. Inexperienced but eager, Maria planted tomato seeds two months too early — by the time residents transplanted them into their newly built, wheelchair-accessible garden beds that spring, the plants were already four feet tall! Yet the enthusiasm and curiosity from residents were unstoppable. They came every day to care for the seedlings through the winter. And when summer arrived, they lined up outside the garden house at 6 a.m., waiting for staff to start their day alongside the plants they’d nurtured.

The project grew beyond the garden beds. A staff member at the first pilot home became so inspired that she transformed the front lawn, replacing ornamental grasses with pumpkin plants, dreaming of carving pumpkins with the residents. That autumn, they harvested those very pumpkins, baked homemade pies, and shared the taste of their hard work together. The joy from that first bite was so real you could almost touch it.