When Carrie came to ECH, she was starting her junior year in high school. This was following a failed adoption where the parents were unequipped to deal with her mental health needs, leaving her struggling to deal with school and day-to-day life.

After many months of staff asking Carrie what she wanted to do, she finally opened up and said she thought she might be interested in landscaping. ECH staff was inspired to help her plot out a garden. They encouraged her to get more involved with her schoolwork and helped her apply to a technical school for landscape design.

All summer, Carrie headed up a group of girls who tended a garden, planting a variety of herbs, vegetables, and flowers that they then sold to staff. The young women raised over $400 throughout the summer and chose to donate the money to a food pantry.

Today, Carrie is thriving at technical school and is working to patch things up with her adoptive parents. She moved into ECH’s independent living program and conquered her depression.