14 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 • CAREGIVER
HOPE GROWS
GARDEN THERAPY
Local non-profit seeks to help caregivers take better care of themselves
A purple iris grows in the Garden of Hope restorative garden.
Lisa Story believes she was led
to her current role as founder
of Hope Grows, a place where
caregivers can themselves come for
care, through divine intervention.
Hearing why, it’s hard to argue.
Story was a longtime counselor
in grief and bereavement. After her
father died and she mourned the
passing of both of her parents, she
found the solace she needed in
gardening at her Moon Township
home.
Her mind, body and spirit began
to reconnect again, and the experience
soon led her to pursue certification
in horticulture therapy.
“And then I thought, ‘OK, how
do I use this now?’” she said. “At
the same time, I kept talking to my
dad’s spirit and just asking for a
sign or guidance.
“Then I had a dream of me
walking through a beautiful
garden with flowers everywhere.
I looked up and saw his face in
the sun rays coming down, I woke
up and the first thing I said was,
‘Hope grows.’”
Hope Grows, a non-profit, now
exists to help both professional
and family caregivers get counseling
and support and just take
a break. She leads a holistic, nature
based approach that seeks
to help caregivers find physical,
Lisa Story hugs a tree in the gardens on her 2.5-acre property in Moon Township.
PHOTOS: HOPE GROWS
BY KAREN PRICE
FOR TRIB TOTAL MEDIA