BRINGING RECOVERY AND NATURE TOGETHER: A Green Care Project Initiative.

As parents of children in recovery and animal lovers our small animal sanctuary and our amazing team is committed to bringing recovery and nature together. We have experienced multiple challenges including the ongoing struggles of raising children with significant mental health challenges, traumatic life experiences and supporting our children in long term recovery from opioid and heroin addiction; we have certainly walked the walk. 

We have taken our life experience, our challenges, our successes, our convictions and our recovery and turned it into action creating a unique Green Care Project Initiative focusing on at risk youth and young adults.  Patchwork Pastures Green Care Project Initiative incorporates animals, plants, gardens, forests, and landscapes including but not limited to livestock management, crop production, forestry, horticultural and greenhouse activities, promoting holistic healing opportunities and educational experiences.

Green Care is a well-established international concept that uses animals, plants, and nature in an interactive process to offer health-promoting activities for people. “Under the Green Care concept, we foster the connection between the animals we rescue and the participants we serve, building solid foundations for successful outcomes. Program Participants learn how to interact with each animal, providing a symbiotic level of care and support that benefits both animal and human alike.”

Guided by a Certified Nurtured Heart Approach Coach and Master Arborist, each participant gains vital life skills, education, and an opportunity to work one on one with the animals at the sanctuary.

Co-Founder & CEO, Ms. Rachel Helt, is a Certified Nurtured Heart Approach Trainer and life Coach with over 30 years of combined experience in health care, human services, sales and marketing, and nonprofit business operations.  She is the mother of 3 children in long-term recovery from mental illness and opioid addiction.

Co-founder and Program Director Alan McCullough graduated from the Royal Forestry College in England with Master's Degrees in Arboriculture and Horticulture and has over 35 years of expertise and experience in the green industry.

The organization is a registered Sussex County Probation Community Service Site and welcomes volunteers year-round. Registration information can be found on the organization's website www.patchworkpastures.org.

Patchwork Pastures is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit organization registered in the State of New Jersey.

Eligibility	Serving individuals ages 18-28 in recovery from substance use or mental health challenges, or reentry from incarceration. Individuals must commit to completing the 6 step program which entails various levels of coaching, volunteerism, internship, job training and education.
Age Groups	Adolescents Adults
Community Services	Basic Needs / Assistance Accepts Donations of Goods Community Community Education Community Service Volunteer Opportunities Education Educational Services Employment / Training Job Training Life Skills Training Preparing for Adulthood Vocational Training Family & Support Services Family Support Referral Services
Health Services	Behavioral / Mental Health Anxiety Behavioral Mental Health Substance Use / Addiction Teen Issues
Treatment Services	In-Community Services Mentoring Outpatient Services Alternative Therapies Nurtured Heart Approach Social Skills
Payment Types	Free Low Cost / Donation Self Pay Sliding Scale / Payment Plans
Areas Served	Essex County Hunterdon County Middlesex County Morris County Passaic County Somerset County Sussex County Warren County

Last Updated: 05/11/24