Garden Time Hosts Fall 2026 Green Re-Entry Graduation

More than 100 graduates later, the Rhode Island Nonprofit continues to help formerly incarcerated individuals build skills, confidence and a path forward.

“I’m looking at this whole room full of nothing but love,” said Stephanie, one of Garden Time’s fall 2026 graduates. “I’m so proud of everyone in this class.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Stephanie was among the graduates who gathered Nov. 6 to celebrate completing Garden Time’s Green Reentry Job Training Program, an eight-week program that provides formerly incarcerated individuals with job training in the green industry. 

This fall marked Garden Time’s 10th graduating class and its largest yet, with more women graduates than any previous class. The program has now celebrated more than 100 graduates overall. Throughout their eight weeks together, graduates bonded, supported one another and held each other accountable. 

“They were willing to push their boundaries and stretch their comfort zones quite a bit with tree climbing, public speaking, and challenging conversations,” said Kate Lacouture. 

Garden Time, founded by Lacouture and Vera Bowen, is a nonprofit program that teaches gardening skills within the Adult Correctional Institutions and provides job training in the green industry for formerly incarcerated individuals. The program aims to improve mental health, provide job readiness  and reduce recidivism in Rhode Island. 

Following her remarks, Lacouture opened the floor to the graduates, giving them the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and share what the program meant to them.

For many, the experience extended far beyond the classroom walls and lessons about gardening and the green industry. Graduates spoke about the relationships they built, the confidence they gained  and the importance of having a community that truly believed in their potential.

Lawrence, one of the graduates, spoke about the importance of having a space where individuals could learn and develop skills they could eventually pass down to their families 

“This is meaningful work, not just back breaking work,” Lawrence said.

Another graduate, Divine, spoke about entering the program as someone new to Rhode Island and being welcomed with open arms by the people around him. He credited the program with providing an experience and support system he could carry with him beyond graduation.

“It’s something I’m going to take with me for the rest of my life,” he said, adding that he hoped to return and help support future classes. “Somebody paved the way for us, and right now, we’re just paving the way for the next group of individuals.”

Other graduates reflected on the opportunities they rarely felt were available to them prior to joining the program.

Keyonna expressed gratitude for the experience, her classmates and the opportunity to earn certificates and participate in tree planting. She shared that she was particularly proud of planting a tree on the street where she grew up, giving back to the community that had shaped her life.

Several graduates also emphasized how important the relationships they formed throughout the eight weeks had become. Christian shared that attending every class, meeting and field trip was an accomplishment in itself, especially because he had struggled with consistency in the past. She said the program helped him build a network of people she could continue to rely on.

Stephanie also spoke about the support graduates had shown one another, describing a room filled with people who had experienced adversity but continued to push forward. 

Another graduate shared how completing the program represented a particularly personal accomplishment. The graduate’s mother had passed away just ten days before their release from incarceration. When he entered the program, he was unsure whether he would be able to follow through with his plans. 

“I didn’t know if I had it in me to complete it, but the fact that they pushed me to do so, and I can now say that I did something for myself and I did something for my mother,” the graduate said.

The theme of second chances and giving back continued throughout the ceremony. Graduates repeatedly acknowledged the people who helped make the program possible while expressing their desire to create similar opportunities for others.

For some, being given those opportunities had changed their outlook on the future and strengthened their desire to help others facing similar challenges. 

Lacouture also shared a message from one of Garden Time’s longtime gardeners at the Adult Correctional Institutions, emphasizing how the graduates’ success could help create opportunities for those still incarcerated. 

 “You tell them how much we appreciate how they’re leading the way and making a good impression on employers so there will be internships and jobs for us when we get out.”  

As the ceremony came to a close, the graduates left with more than certificates and newly developed job skills. Their reflections highlighted the importance of having access to education, meaningful work, and a community willing to invest in their futures.

Throughout the ceremony, one message remained consistent: a person’s past does not have to determine their future. 

“Thanks to all of our graduates who stayed engaged and made up this amazing community that I’m grateful to be part of,” Lacouture said.

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