“From his perch in yonder tree

And in my garden I’m as free

As that feathered thief up there.”

-- From “The Garden Song” by David Mallett

Gardening connects us to the spot in which we live. For someone whose personal history has included periods of homelessness, that connection can be especially powerful. The two Peterborough apartment buildings owned by MATS (Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter) now include raised-bed vegetable gardens, filled with garden soil from Ideal Compost and planted with healthy plants from the Cornucopia Project.

The gardens are multigenerational neighborhood projects, but they are supervised by two MATS participants. On a recent visit, a woman in her 60s showed me the two raised beds in her backyard. Tomatoes, peas, beans, cucumbers and summer squash plants are thriving due to her care and the recent rains.

On her deck, which overlooks the garden, she has pots of peppers and herbs. In the only remaining garden space, she plans to help a neighbor child plant a row of carrots. Around the building, she has cleared choked perennial beds to reveal roses and hollyhocks – as well has a rhubarb patch. Two hummingbird feeders hang to one side. She enjoys mowing the lawn around the raised beds. “Good exercise,” she says. 

When I arrived on a sunny morning, this woman was relaxing on her backyard deck, admiring the results of her hard work – a moment every gardener enjoys! She told me that she started gardening in her mid-20s and continued as her living situation allowed before taking an 18-year break. Now, she is helped by neighbors and her two grandchildren, and her satisfaction is evident.

“I love it so much!” she said of her garden. She also expressed gratitude to MATS for giving her a sense of stability while she searches for a permanent home. 

What MATS provides is transitional housing. This woman will move when her name reaches the top of a long waiting list for subsidized housing. But for now, this apartment (and the land it sits on) is her home and the vegetable garden has made it ever more so. 

For over 30 years, MATS has provided shelter and services to individuals and families. A full time Program Manager works with participants, helping them connect with agencies and resources to match their needs. After participants have moved to permanent housing, the relationship with MATS continues as needed. The organization's mission includes advocating for solutions to homelessness, a problem that is particularly acute in the current housing crisis  

The work of MATS is funded entirely by grants and private donations. If you would like to contribute to MATS, visit our website, matsnh.org, or mail a donation to PO Box 3053, Peterborough, NH 03458.

Mary Loftis of Dublin is a board member at Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter.