Skip to Content

Veterans Find Growth in the Heart of Grand Rapids

Katie Papke, HUD-VASH Social Work Case Manager and Program Coordinator tends to a garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Katie Papke, HUD-VASH Social Work Case Manager and Program Coordinator tends to a garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

By Adam Swager, Public Affairs Specialist

“I like to call it our secret garden,” said Katie Papke, HUD-VASH Social Work Case Manager and Program Coordinator, of the small green space behind the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) clinic at 620 Century in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.

Papke started the HCHV gardening group this Spring, and the 800 square-feet of lush green serves as a welcomed retreat for some local Veterans every Friday at noon.

Grand Rapids HCHV is in the heart of Grand Rapids near US 131, where gardening space is at a premium.  A former VA employee built raised beds behind the clinic and maintained a staff garden until his retirement in 2017. After being dormant for nearly a decade, this space was revitalized last winter when Papke enrolled in a Master Gardening Course at Michigan State University (MSU). “One of the course requirements was to join a community garden," said Papke.  "So, I called up all the Veterans I knew who had a green thumb, and the HCHV Gardening group was born.”  The purpose of the group is to provide education on life skills to improve the abilities of Veterans to make positive choices and cope with stress.

Support for the garden quickly emerged. MSU Veterans Programs supplied seeds and informational materials for maintaining the garden, and staff members donated tables and chairs so Veterans could take breaks and chat.  “Four Veterans form the core of our group,” said Papke.  “Most of them are disabled, but they bring years of experience in horticulture and farming.  So far, I’ve learned more from them than I have from the class!”

The HCHV Gardening group is open to Veterans of all abilities.  Veterans in the Grand Rapids area can contact Katie Papke directly or just stop by Friday at noon. One of the Veteran members summed up the joy of gardening in under 10 words: “As long as my hands are in the dirt, I’m good!”