Student Story

“The Seed & Bloom program is the best experience I’ve had in 13 years. That’s how long I’ve been incarcerated. I don’t know how to do normal, real-life, basic tasks like cooking skills or budgeting money to cook and feel myself AND other people. Seed & Bloom has come into prison in my environment and taught me these things. Ms. G and Seed & Bloom have not only taught me these skills, but they have provided me with the ability to exercise these newly developed skills on our classroom days and our culinary nights. I’ve learned stress management by breathing exercises and multiple avenues of self-expression. I’ve learned how to be objective, empathetic, and how to appreciate beauty and express compassion. The best yet, I’ve experienced family. Everyone involved in the Seed & Bloom program. Ms. G and her volunteers, us individuals lucky enough to be admitted into the program, everyone no matter what walk of life we come from, have all succumbed to Ms. G’s dream for this program. It’s impossible not to. I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent in the Seed & Bloom setting. Especially working in the greenhouse. The farming was why I pursued joining the program. I grew up farming with my grandfather. Back then, working with him was a chore and I only wanted to finish. During my incarceration, I’ve come to regret not soaking up all my grandfather could have taught me. Through Seed & Bloom I’m getting the farming experience I took for granted. My grandpa and I had so much more to talk about because of this program. I’ve already begun taking what I’ve learned here. Since my grandfather’s passing, greenhouse days are how I’ve remained connected with his memory. I have confidence in myself now to be able to get out, feed my family, sit down to eat with them, express my love and gratitude for them, and then go out and tend my greenhouse. This is what Seed & Bloom has given me.”

C. Phillips, written on December 10, 2025
18 months in Seed & Bloom
Release date: 2029