Sheltering Tree residents grow fresh food with new greenhouse

OMAHA, Neb. —

Tenants at Sheltering Tree apartments are expanding their healthy eating options with the addition of a new greenhouse.

The greenhouse will be used for the farm-to-table gardening program.

It allows adults with developmental disabilities living in the apartment communities to grow and eat healthy food.

Residents have already started planting mangos and peppers as part of the program.

“Our gardeners are much like any other gardeners. Some of them have some background and experience based on how they grew up. Some haven’t had any exposure to gardening at all, but our gardeners are very sophisticated,” said Denise Gehringer, CEO of Sheltering Tree.

Sheltering Tree partnered with United Healthcare, which invested $30,000 into the greenhouse.