Next Generation

 Infant & Toddler Center

568 Portsmouth Avenue

Greenland, NH 03840

603.422.9582

In The News

Project Green Thumb Doubles Next Generation Daycare Garden 

Monday, June 14, 2005 (Greenland, NH)—Alicia Cayer, Toddler Teacher at Next Generation, was fed up. For two years she helped the daycare children plant vegetables and flowers in an old splintering 4’ x 8’ box with each child nursing their own plant. The children were always happy to see the flowers and vegetables as they started growing. Then the plants would grow too much, overwhelm the box, and the garden would soon die.

This May, Project Green Thumb began. Alicia made a materials list and coordinated staff, daycare parents, and volunteers to double the garden’s size. The Malone and Santos Families donated wood and materials. Mark Malone built two new garden boxes. Alicia’s brother, Andrew Cayer, also a teacher’s aide at the daycare, chopped up and removed the old garden box. Stratham Circle Nursery, Scamman’s Home & Garden and Bell & Flynn then generously donated stone, soil, and plants. Lisa Glover, Dave Duggan, Lisa Alexander, Karen Wyman, Trish Vincent and others donated time, materials, and or money for the project.

"I am so excited about the project’s success," said Alicia. "It took a while to do and it was so great to see the community come together to give the children this life experience."

On June 10^th, one by one the children took turns with Alicia working their green thumbs while planting their corner of the garden. They are now tending their crop, eagerly awaiting the first sprouts. This year's crop includes cucumbers, watermelons, green beans, tomatoes, and green peppers.

        Last year, when the plants started dying due to lack of room, an anonymous gardener snuck in one night and replaced the struggling plants with thriving vegetables. When the children returned to check on their project, they found plum-sized peppers and tomatoes growing. Once fully grown, all the vegetables are picked and eaten as part of the daycare's nutrition program. 

Next Generation staff will hold babysitting nights for daycare parents to help support upkeep and maintenance of the garden for years to come. The new boxes will be painted and maintained every year with all funds raised. For more information, please call Ivelisse Roy, daycare director at 422-9582.

Next Generation Daycare offers a safe, caring environment for infant to preschool-age children, with a licensed preschool program and Title XX slots for families working towards self-sufficiency. Next Generation is a service of New Generation, Inc., a shelter for homeless pregnant women and mothers with young children. The shelter houses up to seven women and their children at a time, while giving support in a loving environment, teaching parenting education, and life skills. Residents are given transportation to housing, health and social service appointments, as well as work, job interviews and education classes. Other services include Second Generation Thrift Shoppe and Generation Gap Furniture Barn, providing affordable clothing, household items and furniture to the public. All proceeds help support New Generation Shelter operating costs. New Generation and its services are conveniently located off Rte. 33 in Greenland, NH. For further info, email fundraising@newgenerationinc.org, call 603-436-4989, or visit www.newgennh.com.  

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