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The DREAM Blog

Writer's pictureHanna Blankenship

Cultivating Community Through the Great Tulip Plant


Elm Street mentors and mentees dig deep into the soil, getting their hands dirty as they plant side by side.

As autumn settles in and the vibrant greens of summer start to fade, DREAM’s Village Mentoring communities in Vermont are gearing up for a new season of growth—not only in gardens but also in community connections. This fall, DREAM mentees and mentors went to Chittenden County housing communities Salmon Run and Elm Street to participate in DREAM’s first-ever Great Tulip Plant of 2024. This new initiative beautifully combines the joy of gardening and environmental stewardship with community building.


The Great Tulip Plant is about more than simply adding color and flowers to shared spaces, it’s about engaging mentees in actively caring for the spaces they call home. Through this hands-on experience, youth are encouraged to take ownership and pride in their neighborhoods.

“When mentees are investing in their homes and the way their surroundings look, they’re more likely to continue caring for it,” says Mike Foote, DREAM’s Chief Empowerment Officer. “This initiative is a way for them to see firsthand the impact they can have on their community.”

Planting Seeds of Environmental Stewardship

Environmental stewardship is one of the key aspects of the Great Tulip Plant. As the mentees roll up their sleeves to clean up community spaces and prepare the soil, they are gaining hands-on experience in positively impacting the environment and how to care for the land they share. Each step, from cleaning up debris to planting the tulip bulbs, teaches them that the health of their surroundings depends on their actions and is a shared responsibility.

“Seeing the kids getting their hands dirty was so meaningful to me as a mentor,” shares Nicole. “Giving them the opportunity to add some pizzazz to the community was really special.”

By participating in this project, DREAM youth are learning that loving their land means actively caring for it. These tulips, donated by Big Dream, symbolize the larger organization’s investment in the communities they work with. By springtime, the flowers will bloom as a vibrant reminder of the responsibility and respect the youth have poured into their neighborhoods.


Elm Street mentors and mentees build community and come together for the Great Tulip Plant.

Mentorship Through Hands-On Action

Mentors like Nicole play a crucial role in this initiative, leading by example as they work side by side with their mentees. By participating in the cleanup and tulip planting, mentors show the youth how to take pride in their community and environment. They demonstrate that even small actions, like cleaning up litter or planting a garden, can have a lasting impact.

Nicole notes, “When community members are involved in projects like this, they can feel connected to their community more than ever because of the work they have put back into it.” 

A Blooming Celebration of Community 

By the time spring rolls around, the tulips planted this fall will bloom into vibrant symbols of the efforts of mentees, mentors, and the entire DREAM community. More than just flowers, these blooms represent the commitment of everyone involved, from the mentees and mentors who planted them to the housing management agencies who supported the initiative.

“Reaching out to our housing partners showed that DREAM aims to be a true community organization, dedicated to supporting the neighborhoods we serve,” says Mike. “We’re hopeful that the Great Tulip Plant becomes an annual tradition across all sites, bringing communities together every year to celebrate and care for the places that are home.”

Through initiatives like the Great Tulip Plant, DREAM youth are learning that they don’t have to wait to make a difference in their communities. They can begin building a foundation of care, responsibility, and pride right now! Each planted tulip is a symbol of growth, commitment, and the belief that by all working together, we can make our communities bloom.


Salmon Run mentees and mentors celebrating together after the successful first Great Tulip Plant.

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