Nathan Rathamann, Director of Operations at Forget Me Not Farm
Our Speaker for November 4, 2021, was Nathan Rathmann, Director of Operations at Forget Me Not Farm, where he oversees the therapy groups that visit the Farm, tends to the therapeutic gardens, does public speaking, recruits volunteers, and gives tours to people interested in the program. He has worked at the Farm since 2005
Forget Me Not Farm nurtures relationships between children, animals, and gardens and has helped thousands of at-risk children and youth to break the cycle of abuse. The Farm puts neglected children, gardens, and animals together to create bonding relationships; by letting children take care of abused animals and vegetable gardens they learn about care, compassion, and empathy. The Farm receives referrals of neglected children from 14 agency-partners. They visit the Farm for therapy sessions 1 time per week for 1 hour. There is no charge for the program. The program typically lasts between 9 weeks and 2 years. Prior to COVID-19 they usually helped about 350 children per year. Nearly all of the adults are volunteers; there are only 4 paid staff members.
In the 1-acre garden the children see the full growing process and receive a box of vegetables. The kids usually try everything; there is something special about eating the food they’ve helped grow. It is a true farm-to-garden experience.
They also work together to produce the vegetables, and care for the animals, learning life lessons in the value of cooperation and caring. They also learn the importance of going to their work at the Farm so they can help take care of these abused animals. The children learn, some for the first time, that they are truly needed! They spend their hour at the Farm tending to the garden and the animals, eating a snack, and wrapping up with a fun activity.
The program also has an after-school track for older children who often serve as mentors to the younger kids. Their activities rely less on fun and more on actual work, including uniforms and actual duties/responsibilities; more like a job. Many of these older children are in foster programs, and Nathan reminded us of the terrible statistics facing foster children: nearly 50% of foster children spend time either homeless or in jail, or both.
Forget Me Not is always open to volunteers, donations, and people to help work in various capacities. In fact, they are planning the expansion of their greenhouses and other projects that need technical and/or financial contributions.
What an amazing program! Thank you to Nathan and his staff for the wonderful work they do for the most at-risk member of our community!
