Leadership Somerset Project Provides Garden to Local Veterans

BASKING RIDGE, NJ- Members of the 2023 Leadership Somerset graduating class celebrated Veterans Day with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Veterans Garden Project at the Valley Brook Village Veterans community at the Lyons VA Medical Center. Resident veterans, partner organizations, donors, Somerset County officials, and the Leadership Somerset team all attended the celebration.

“As a veteran myself, I’m proud of the entire Leadership Somerset 2023 class for supporting the veteran community in Somerset County with this project,” said program graduate Vincent Barragan. “Leadership Somerset is a great program that helps participants build the skills and relationships to serve underserved communities with projects like the Veterans Garden, and to work collaboratively with partners like Northeast Organic Farming Association and Empower Somerset.”

One of the requirements for graduation from Leadership Somerset is to complete a sustainable community service project benefiting an underserved community within Somerset County. The 2023 Leadership Somerset graduates focused their project on building a community garden for the residents of the Valley Brook Village community.

Valley Brook Village is the first of its kind Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) community for homeless veterans, situated on the Lyons VA Medical Center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. The village-style community sits on more than sixteen acres and features sixty-two furnished, one and two-bedroom apartment homes with shared community space, ample program space, landscaped walkways, and shared outdoor spaces. The Veterans Garden will complement these spaces with a location for residents to spend time outdoors in the fresh air gardening, an activity with a proven positive impact on mental and physical health.

“The Leadership Somerset Class of '23 project combines all the attributes that this program was designed for- Leadership, Cooperation, Vision, Collaboration, Coordination and most importantly supporting the needs of Somerset County residents,” said Somerset County Commissioner Melonie Marano, herself a Leadership Somerset graduate from 2005. “On behalf of the entire Board of County Commissioners, we thank the participants who created this valuable recreational, therapeutic and nutritional garden for our honored veterans.”

The Leadership Somerset graduates partnered with Empower Somerset and the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). By the virtue and generosity of fifty sponsors, the team exceeded their financial goal, successfully raising more than ten thousand dollars to cover the cost of building the garden, spring planting, garden tools, various additional supplies, and educational programing to be provided through NOFA, and additional funds to sustain the project going forward.

Leadership Somerset is an annual community leadership program focused on building skills and supporting the development of emerging Somerset County leaders through a series of seminars, workshops, and projects. The program accepts individuals who live or work in Somerset County, NJ, with a desire to improve their community and give voice to traditionally underrepresented community members. Graduates include elected officials, business leaders, educators, non-profit executives, community volunteers, and more leaders who help make Somerset County a special place to live.

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