Homeless Gardens in Bratislava

We have been working on a humanitarian project since our first month in the country, for the homeless shelter in Bratislava. The project was approved at the middle of summer. And we were told the days were too hot for construction of the garden boxes. In the fall, the boxes were constructed. Then we waited for winter 

to pass so we could move and prepare the soil and just recently the project was complete.

LDS Charities provided resources to build five large garden boxes in a back lot. This included large timbers, hardware, hand tools, and water tanks.

In addition, three refrigerators were provided for the De Paul Homeless Shelter.

The shelter houses about thirty-five disabled persons which include mental or physical challenges that prevent them from functioning in society.

The homeless need physical activity as well as responsibility to improve their situations.

The garden boxes will provide hundreds of hours of labor including gardening and harvesting vegetables. The staff advised these vegetables will be used within the shelter for consumption.

During the construction, many homeless men were involved in building the large wooden boxes.

The wood was painted with water treatment and assembled with large bolts and nuts. One man in a wheelchair assisted with painting the wood and stated he felt grateful to be useful. Much physical labor was needed to dig up a compost pile and fill the boxes full of humus soil. All

of this work took months to complete and included several able bodied men from a second homeless shelter.

In Spring 2018, the boxes were completed and filled with dirt.

Vegetable seed packets were provided and the planting was ready to go. A few volunteers came together to lay down cement slabs providing access for those in wheelchairs to pull up close to the boxes.

The Director was very grateful for the garden boxes completed, and all the help by so many volunteers.