Our history

The Hope Garden project was started through a partnership with Mason Matters, Washington Health Foundation, Mason General Hospital and Americorps. In 2013, HOPE was granted a SNAP-ED grant from The Department of Health to develop and run garden-based nutrition programming. We launched in October, 2013 with our Older Youth Employment Program which has since become our signature program. Starting as an after school program for teenagers attending the alternative high school CHOICE, HOPE taught job skills, communication, leadership, nutrition, and cooking through an agricultural model. This continues to be the foundation of our work with youth. Along with our older youth programming, HOPE has expanded to two elementary schools, middle school, and to the Pathways program. In 2021, HOPE partnered with Mason County Conservation District and The City of Shelton to build the new Callanan Community Garden. Students from Cedar High School and The HOPE Older Youth Employment Program were instrumental in this building process.

None of this work could have been done without our incredible partners: The HOPE Board of Directors, Mason General Hospital, Mason Matters, Americorps, Washington Health Foundation, The Shelton School District, The City of Shelton, Community Lifeline, Saint Davids of Whales, The Whole Kids Foundation, Green Diamond, Sierra Pacific, The Gill Foundation, Squaxin Island Tribe, The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, Pac Mountain Workforce Development.