Missoula, Mont. — Missoula Public Health brought people together for a plant and seed swap aimed at helping people start their own gardens while building community connections.
The event focused on giving kids and families supplies they could use at home. Organizers said people could find a range of gardening items to help them get started.
“Tools, gloves, soil, fertilizer, seeds, veggies, fruit, flowers. Some folks brought some pots. Seed starting kits. So, just a wide variety of garden items to get you started,” Missoula Public Health Suicide Prevention Coordinator Hannah Pepprock said.
Missoula Public Health held the swap with the Missoula Healthy Youth Coalition, which works to protect young people from substance abuse.
Jacqueline Kline with Missoula Public Health said the event was also meant to help people connect with each other and with local support.
“You can form those organic connections from parent to parent, from community member to different resources available. It’s really helpful just to have that available in a time that’s not your typical 9 to 5 business space,” said Jacqueline Kline, substance use disorder prevention coordinator for Missoula Public Health.
Kline said those kinds of connections can support children and families over time.
“Community connection is a huge protective factor against any kind of behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorders, especially when we’re looking at young children in early childhood. Having that strong connection to community, outside of your nuclear family unit has been scientifically shown to produce better outcomes long term,” Kline said.
Missoula Public Health and the Missoula Healthy Youth Coalition host events like this regularly. People interested in future events should check the organizations’ websites or Facebook pages.
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