A few years ago, we began a transitional jobs program at the Chicago Botanic Garden to help veterans adapt to civilian life. Most take this transition in stride, but we designed the program for those who can use a bit of help.

CBS This Morning did a short segment in 2017 partly about the jobs program, but more about the benefits of engaging with nature for those with stress-related conditions.

It’s a nice introduction to what I do and how the thoughtful use of nature can be valuable to your organization.

Watch the segment

 

Founded in 2009, MuseumNext brings museum leaders, founders and innovators from around the world together to ask, “What’s next for museums?” In doing so, the group publishes a news and ideas-orientated website and sponsors annual conferences in New York and Amsterdam.

I was asked to make a presentation to their members in New York in November, 2016.

Because I was the director of one of the largest community outreach programs at the Chicago Botanic Garden, they were interested in my views on how a museum can best decide how to serve the community in which it is located.

In my talk, I described the various veterans programs at the Garden, focusing on how we identified a set of needs in our community, identified potential partners, and then found ways to use our own special expertise to serve them.

Watch my presentation.   Learn more about MuseumNext.

One of the things I’m most proud of in my work at the Chicago Botanic Garden was my part in an ongoing effort to serve the veteran community.

In 2013, we launched a monthly program where clinicians and clients from Thresholds, one of the largest mental health providers in Chicago, come for a monthly retreat at the Garden.

In this video, you can watch one of my staff members, Alicia Green, describe the program.