Good evening everyone,
My name is Kelli, and I’m a graduate of the Homeless Garden Project. Standing here tonight is something I never imagined I’d do. I’ve been an addict since my early teens, and for ten long years, I was homeless. Drugs controlled my life, and during that time, I lost almost everything — my family, my home, and even my sense of who I was. Every day felt like a fight just to survive, and I carried shame, guilt, and hopelessness like a weight I couldn’t put down. I didn’t believe I deserved a second chance.
When I first came to the Homeless Garden Project, I was broken. I didn’t know if I could do it, if I could handle the structure, or if I even wanted to try. I thought that my past — my addiction, my mistakes, even my criminal record — would prevent me from ever finding a good job, from ever having a real future. But what I found there changed everything.
The staff at the Homeless Garden Project didn’t just teach me skills — they believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. They gave me a chance when no one else would. They showed me that my past didn’t have to define my future. And because of the Project’s connection with New Leaf Community Market, I now have a stable, full-time job — a job I’m proud of and one that allows me to support myself and rebuild my life. That opportunity alone changed the trajectory of my life.
Now, as a cashier at New Leaf, I get to connect with people every day in a positive way. I love sharing a smile, helping customers, and telling them about the Envirotokens program. I always remind them that when they choose to donate their tokens to the Homeless Garden Project, they’re not just giving change — they’re changing lives. I know, because it changed mine.
…change is possible, that a second chance is real, and that the Homeless Garden Project is a place where it can begin.
-Kelli Knight
The garden itself became my safe place. I remember the first day I started working the soil — it was hard, backbreaking work, but there was something peaceful about it too. Watching a seed I planted slowly sprout reminded me that maybe I could grow too. I learned responsibility, patience, and that growth doesn’t happen overnight. The camaraderie with my fellow trainees, the laughter, the shared struggles, and the support reminded me that I wasn’t alone anymore. I was part of something bigger than myself.
It wasn’t easy. Recovery is never easy. There were days I wanted to give up, days I doubted I could live a different life. But every shift I worked, every plant I nurtured, every hand lent to help another person reminded me that I was capable of more than I ever believed.
Today, I am sober. I have my family back in my life. I have stability. I have a job that gives me pride and purpose. And most importantly, I have hope — something I thought I had lost forever.
But tonight isn’t just about me. There are so many out there still struggling, still living in the darkness I once knew. I’m here as a voice for them — to say that change is possible, that a second chance is real, and that the Homeless Garden Project is a place where it can begin.
To the staff, the volunteers, and everyone who supports this program: thank you. You don’t just teach skills, or provide jobs, or grow food — you give people life. You give hope. You give a future. You make it possible for people like me to stand here tonight and tell our story.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
–Kelli Knight worked at HGP in 2025. She graduated in less than six months and now has full time employment at New Leaf Community Market. Kelli shared this talk at our October 2025 Supper.
