Discover how Hope + Vine uses therapeutic gardening to nurture healing, confidence, and connection for young women aging out of foster care.

A Different Kind of Healing Space

At Hope + Vine, we’ve never wanted our programming to feel like a list of instructions on how to “fix yourself.” Healing isn’t linear, and it certainly isn’t one-size-fits-all. When we designed The Inspiring Hope Collective, our goal was to create experiences that felt healing in and of themselves. Gentle, real, and empowering.

We believe our participants don’t need to be told what healing should look like—they need to be invited into spaces where they can feel it.

There’s More Than One Way to Heal

Every woman who walks through our doors brings her own story. Some find restoration through creativity. Others through movement, mindfulness, faith, or friendship. That’s why our curriculum offers a wide range of experiences—from financial literacy and nutrition to yoga and gardening. We want our participants to discover what feels good, what helps, what sticks.

Healing is a deeply personal process, and we honor that by never limiting the ways it can unfold.

Getting Our Hands in the Dirt

One of our favorite additions this year has been our partnership with the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Wake County’s Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) program. These passionate volunteers bring gardening to life as a hands-on way to nurture the body, mind, and spirit.

We kicked off the season with a session focused on herbs. The women explored a wide variety—touching, smelling, tasting—while learning how each herb can be used for cooking or healing. They even enjoyed snacks made with the herbs. At the end of the session, each woman chose her own herb to take home and care for.

What seems like a simple plant becomes a daily reminder: “I can nurture something. I can be consistent. I can grow.”

Watching Growth Happen

Watching our participants engage with the soil, the plants, and each other is always powerful. For some, it’s their first experience gardening. For others, it’s a rediscovery of something they once loved. Either way, we see the same thing—a sense of calm, connection, and pride begin to bloom.

This is why we do what we do.

Planting Seeds That Last

At Hope + Vine, we are committed to creating spaces where young women aging out of foster care can not only learn, but heal. Through community, hands-on learning, and new experiences, we’re planting seeds of confidence and hope.

Some of those seeds are literal. And we can’t wait to see what grows next.

Upcoming Classes for IHC

• Crucial Conversations
• Behind the Post - Healthy Social Media and Online Dating
• Working Genius
• Abuse in Relationships
• Pilates
• Preparing for the Holidays, Budgeting
• Why We Can Trust Scripture