Roger Lake, MFT

I was born and raised in Antioch, Tennessee where my grandmother put me to work in our backyard garden. Covered in mosquito bites at the resilient age of five, I pulled dandelions and other weeds to make room for spinach, tomatoes, summer squash, and sugar snap peas. My family didn’t live near a supermarket and with two working parents, there wasn’t a lot of time to make it out to the closest one. Thanks to my grandma’s garden, we had access to healthy food.

Barbara Townsend, MFT intern

Watching plants grow is one of my greatest joys. Even as a kid, when I only had a little cactus to call my own, I loved it. I’m from Omaha, Nebraska, where I earned a degree in Agricultural Studies. I went on to work for an industrial food corporation but left because I wanted to pursue a job that aligned more with my values. I believe that gardens can bring neighbors together and foster a community’s mental and physical health.