Lycoming County United Way Partners with Lycoming College to Plant a Hope Garden
A national mental health movement, The Yellow Tulip Project (YTP), has made its way to Williamsport.
The Lycoming County United Way has planted the first of many Hope Gardens in our area. The movement’s goal is to crush the stigma around mental health that prevents people from reaching out and getting the help they need. The message is simple. Come together, plant Hope Gardens, build community, discuss mental health, and smash the stigma. The Yellow Tulip Project (YTP) is a determined, youth-driven 501(c) (3) with a mission to break the stigma surrounding mental illness – and to build a community of people who realize that hope happens when youth and community leaders work together. We want to help others realize that even in the darkest places, hope is always there, and suicide should never be an option. YTP is fiercely dedicated to assisting people to know that there are ways to get help, that people are there for them, and that circumstances can and will change for the better.
You can learn more about this movement on their website, http://www.theyellowtulipproject.org, or on various social media outlets.
Volunteers from Lycoming College, Sophia Stabley, Tiara Garlock, Isabella Taylor, and Sunshine Offerman-Vana and Families United, LaTricia Scutching and Heidi Johnson, joined United Way team members, Ron Frick and Taylor Yeagle to plant the first Hope Garden around the fountain at 1 W. 3rd Street on the corner of Market and W. 3rd Streets from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM on November 8. The tulips will bloom in the spring of 2024. Planting equipment was generously donated by Elery Nau Hardware in Montoursville.
Featured in the garden is a yard sign that reads #TOGETHERUNITED. You’ll see these signs popping up all over our community in the coming weeks, reminding us all that we are better together; we are better united. As you participate in events, serve your community, and volunteer your time and treasures this holiday season, share these moments on social media with the hashtag #TogetherUnited.
“It’s incredible to be a part of something that provides a bit of hope to anyone and everyone who may be struggling but is afraid to reach out. I can’t wait to see these beautiful gardens all over our community. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Your brain is an organ, just like your lungs or your heart. It’s ok to need help, it’s ok to reach out, and these gardens serve as a reminder of that,” said Taylor Yeagle, the United Way team member leading the effort.
If you would like to have a hope garden planted at your school or place of business next fall, please get in touch with Taylor Yeagle at tyeagle@lcuw.org.
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