Gardening for Change Behind Bars | Dover News

Dover News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 12, 2026 · 1m

Ten thousand pounds of fresh produce from Eastern Correctional Institution’s garden is feeding Somerset County—and transforming lives. Beyond the harvest, gardening teaches incarcerated men resilience, patience, and coping skills, with one participant saying it helped him let go and lighten up. Warden Monika Brittingham sees it as a key tool to reduce reoffending, giving released inmates a meaningful way to contribute. Weekly distributions through the Health Department honor the gardeners’ hard work, even in tough conditions, and the program will continue through October—proving that growing…