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How a Greene Co. greenhouse will help at-risk kids

Dayton Daily News - 3/3/2019

March 03-- Mar. 3--At-risk youths in the juvenile court system who are diverted into the Greene County Intervention Center will soon be growing food in a greenhouse, thanks to a donation from a women's philanthropic organization.

The organization, 100 Women of Greene County, donated $11,600 toward the installation of a greenhouse in the backyard at the intervention center, 701 Dayton-Xenia Road.

The donation was made after the 116-member group met and drew three names for potential charitable opportunities. Representatives then made a pitch for their cause to the group, and members then voted on who will receive the money.

The donation was special for the co-founders of 100 Women of Greene County, Sandy McHugh and Rebecca Morgann, who also are Master Gardeners.

McHugh and Morgann on Thursday presented 116 $100 checks to Juvenile Judge Adolpho Tornicio, Magistrate Amy Lewis, Family Engagement Mentor Mari McPherson and GCIC Director Cleo Watts.

"I like the kids doing something that they can do the rest of their lives, and maybe help the community, too," McHugh said.

Morgann said gardening is "like having a baby," and it's the perfect activity for troubled youths.

"You take some dirt, you put some stuff in it, you water it, you watch it grow and there's a certain amount of satisfaction in watching it happen," Morgann said. "It gives you an outlet that's very peaceful. Especially for these kids, it will help. It will help a lot. It's an accomplishment that they can't otherwise have."

The intervention center was formerly a residential treatment center for boys. The renovated home now has space for counseling and academic tutoring and is used every day after school by the up to 12 children who are selected to participate for a month.

In addition to mental health and substance abuse counseling, Watts said the center incorporates evidence-based programming, such as personal responsibility education and anger regression therapy. He said when the kids first come to the center they're nervous, but then they transform.

"You see them grow and you see them become a unit ... At the end of every group they talk about being a family and being a close-knit community," Watts said. "Now with the greenhouse ... it's just another tool to try to help these youths we're dealing with here through the court be successful."

A garden will be outside the greenhouse as well, Watts said, and the food that's harvested will be used in meals at the center and donated to families in need and seniors in the community.

Tornicio said the programming that's being implemented is used throughout the country and has a proven track record of reducing recidivism. If you can reduce recidivism -- when offenders get in trouble again -- he said, "it's the old adage, 'a rising tide lifts all boats.'"

"I've prosecuted out here for 30 years ... When I was in the adult system, too many times I saw kids I had prosecuted in juvenile court, I was now prosecuting in adult felony court," Tornicio said. "The whole idea of the intervention center ... we have seen through studies that by being involved in their lives, giving them some structure, that we can have a positive impact. Because unfortunately a lot of the kids that we see in delinquency may have absentee parents."

The local 4-H chapter and the Ohio State University Extension Office will assist the youths in cultivating and harvesting the plants. The greenhouse is expected to be ready to go by spring.

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(c)2019 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

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