The Dallas non-profit, Men of Nehemiah, offers men a nine-month residential recovery program that seeks to restore the lives of men that have been derailed by drug and alcohol addiction.

While addiction isn’t a sexy story to tell, it is an important story. According to the 2023 United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 27.7 million men in the United States are impacted by addiction.

Aardvark Communications is helping Men of Nehemiah shape the addiction story to increase the non-profit’s awareness and recently earned a front-page feature in The Dallas Morning News.

This story shines a light on the Men of Nehemiah’s garden. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of amplifying voices that inspire others.

In addition to The Dallas Morning News, the garden story also was covered by Fox 4 News Dallas.

Nestled in the shadow of a concrete jungle just south of downtown Dallas, the inner-city garden is providing men recovering from addiction with a tangible example of what happens when a man is willing to get his hands dirty, be patient, and put in the work to reap long-term results.

The garden is a fundamental classroom for someone going through difficulty. The garden requires patience and hard work. It’s dirty work and it isn’t initially beautiful. But with patience and perseverance, the garden will deliver something nourishing.

“When men come to Men of Nehemiah, they have lost all structure in their lives,” said Pastor Louis Harrell Jr., the founder. “We instill discipline to help the men be successful in a controlled environment so they learn how to create boundaries. The garden is another tool we use to teach the men about a healthy lifestyle which includes their nutrition, service and the confidence that they have something meaningful to contribute.”

The garden yields an abundance of okra, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, lettuce, cauliflower, and broccoli, but offers more than fresh produce. It provides an opportunity for the Men of Nehemiah to slow down, work with their hands, and experience the healing beauty of nature.

One participant on the path to recovery, explained how he views the garden. “When I’m in the garden, the weeds are like my addiction,” he said. “The weeds surrounded me. They were trying to take over my life, choking me out, and causing me not to grow. Once I got the weeds – the drugs — out of my life, I still have to re-train my mind and body to be able to function in Life.”

Today, Men of Nehemiah has helped more than 1,500 men find paths to recovery. Research compiled in 2022 affirmed that 61% of men who graduated from Men of Nehemiah prior to 2020 stayed sober for at least two years. Of the men who graduated from the program in 2022, 100% were employed when they left the program and each man had a savings account. Throughout 2022, the men completed 11,148 hours of community service. More information is available at menofnehemiah.org.