Alta’s Seeds Program gets $10,000 donation

MINERAL RIDGE -- Alta Care Group, the Valley agency committed to the social, emotional, behavioral, educational and physical well-being of children, adolescents, young adults and families in our community, recently received a $10,000 donation from local non-profit One Time For The Kids.

One Time For The Kids is a local 501(c)3 founded by Nick DiNello, Tim Strasik and Dom Pasquale that hosts events to raise and distribute funds to local charities in the community that focus on specific educational needs for underprivileged children.

The monies donated were raised at the organization's annual Christmas benefit.

The donated funds will be used to sponsor a child to attend Alta's Seeds Program.

Seeds is an innovative garden therapy program for teens where participants practice mindfulness and stress reduction through therapeutic gardening, while also gaining confidence, learning life skills and building social and emotional skills.

Participants work together in the greenhouse and garden at Alta's Campus of Care location in Mineral Ridge, cultivating plants and learning how to cook healthy meals with the ingredients grown in the garden.

"We are honored to accept this donation from One Time For The Kids and even more thrilled that we could use part of these funds to help sponsor a participant in this program who otherwise would not be able to attend due to commercial insurance funding limitations," said Alta Care Group Chief Executive Officer Vince Paolucci.

The Seeds Program is led by Tom Appel, LPCC, an outpatient therapist and avid gardener.