Drug Court participants and community volunteers began planting at the Municipal Court Community Garden on April 26.
Turns out that turning garden dirt is therapy for drug addiction and other problems.
People in municipal court treatment programs for drugs, mental health and veterans began planting their garden last weekend.
They will work with court staff and community partners through the vegetable harvest season, the court said in a press release today.
The court’s community garden is inside Freeway Garden, 1402 Indiana Ave.
It was 15 feet by 25 feet last year and will double in size this year.
“The garden has proven to be a great way to offer pro-social activities for the participants,” said Deputy Court Administrator Stephanie Boyer. “For a person to overcome substance abuse, it is not enough to just teach them about addiction. Part of recovery requires developing new interests and hobbies.”
The project started in 2013 as a drug court garden but expanded to include people from the other problem solving courts.
Friends of the Kansas City Problem Solving Courts, a board supporting the drug court operation, sponsors the garden and Kansas City Community Gardens supplies the space.
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