For the second year in a row, Boise Vertical Farm hosted its annual Fall Harvest Festival to continue its mission to help Idahoans living in recovery. The non-profit offers a safe space for those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction to gain meaningful employment and complete court-ordered community service.
"We were working on the idea of how to meld gardening, hydroponic growing, and recovery," said the Director of Boise Vertical Farm, Jeff Middleton. "So we decided to form a non-profit."
As someone who has been sober for 12 years, Middleton knows just how hard it is for someone in recovery to find a job when they're able to re-enter the workforce. "When I came through the system, I couldn't find a job. There was no way anybody would hire me. We formed this company in order to help people that are coming through and are in the same situation. They can build a resume, and we can teach them skills," said Middleton.
The farm serves as a safe, sober place for Idahoans in recovery, and Middleton says it works. "We've brought in 30 people; we've given 800 hours of community service; we have an 85% success rate, and we've only had two relapses during the program," Middleton said. "And that part of our program, stopping relapse to keep people out of the cycle."
Read the complete article at www.kivitv.com.