Media

---

The Brain Food Garden Project (BFGP) is thrilled to announce the launch of "LGBTQIA+ PRIDE in Our Mental Health," an awareness celebration dedicated to fostering the mental well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community. Beginning this year on Friday, May 16, 2025, and observed annually on the third Friday of May as a vital part of Mental Health Awareness Month, this initiative will be highlighted through engaging content on social media platforms and a comprehensive toolkit.

To inaugurate this crucial endeavor, BFGP will launch a robust social media campaign on May 16th, accompanied by the release of an informative toolkit offering actionable ways to support the mental health of the LGBTQIA+ community.

This initiative is deeply rooted in the vision of Brain Food Garden Project’s Founder and Executive Director, Sean Brennan. As an openly and proudly queer farmer, Sean’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity and community empowerment forms the bedrock of our organization. Under his leadership, every Brain Food Garden Project initiative is intentionally cultivated as a safe and affirming space for individuals of all sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and sex characteristics.

Sean Brennan affirms, “Our workshops, partner garden, and all future garden projects are cultivated with the fundamental belief that everyone deserves a space to grow and thrive, both physically and mentally. As a queer individual, I deeply understand the importance of feeling safe and celebrated. 'LGBTQIA+ PRIDE in Our Mental Health,' amplified through our online presence and accessible resources, is a natural extension of our commitment to creating havens where the LGBTQIA+ community is not only welcomed but truly honored. As the Brain Food Garden Project expands, so too will this significant day of recognition, which we proudly begin this year.”

The Brain Food Garden Project is dedicated to actively celebrating and affirming all facets of queer identity through our garden projects and outreach efforts, including:

• Affirming Communication: Employing inclusive and respectful language and visuals across all platforms, particularly amplified on our social media.
• Honoring Queer Heritage: Recognizing and sharing the significant contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals within fields relevant to our work through informative content in our toolkit and online platforms.
• Celebrating Diversity in Nature: Highlighting plants and their cultural significance within LGBTQIA+ communities, featured in our social media campaigns and toolkit.
• Fostering Connection: Creating opportunities for LGBTQIA+ individuals to connect and build community within our garden spaces and through online engagement.
• Resource Partnerships: Collaborating with organizations that provide vital mental health support to the LGBTQIA+ community, with readily accessible information in our toolkit.

The inaugural "LGBTQIA+ PRIDE in Our Mental Health" will be commemorated on Friday, May 16, 2025, with resources and information disseminated widely through social media platforms and the dedicated toolkit. We warmly encourage everyone to engage with our online platforms and utilize the toolkit to deepen their understanding and demonstrate their support.

For more information email us by clicking the link

Brain Food Garden Project announces a $30,000 Crowdfunding Campaign currently underway to assist building our latest garden project. Brain Food Garden Project is pleased to partner with Rising Ground. Supporting individuals and families since 1831 Rising Ground provides therapeutic treatments and trauma-informed supports that meet the physical, mental health, psychological, and educational needs of youth and adults facing a myriad of complex challenges. As part of the ongoing partnership Brain Food Garden Project will build and manage a garden as well as provide BFGP Feeding Our Mental Health programming to 20 young women of one of Rising Ground's Transitional Independent Living (TIL) programs in Coney Island, New York. BFGP Executive Director Sean Brennan stated after a recent site visit to the property. "The existing garden space has good bones and when we are done will grow an abundance of healthy fruits and vegetables for not only the Rising Ground residents, but also to share with the neighborhood and local food bank." He went on to say, "We look forward to meeting with the buildings residents to learn just what kind of garden they want to create for themselves and future residents, as well as their thoughts on furthering person-centered engagement around mindful eating and mental health within the community they reside." Rose Torcel, MSW, and Rising Ground RHY Peer Support Supervisor stated her beliefs that "Often times, young adults that have long exposure to homelessness feel disempowered, voiceless, and limited to their options where healthy eating is concerned. Living in survival mode strips these young adults of control and stability. A garden offers more than food, it restores choice, building agency, and plants the seeds of self-worth and community." 

To donate please click the make a donation button or scan the QR code with your phone.

Brain Food Garden Project's Board of Directors are pleased to announce receiving on March 27th BFGP's Letter of Incorporation from the Department of State of New York. The Secretary will include the letter of incorporation with the next board meeting minutes. The Board Directors also announced that at the next Board of Directors Meeting the organizations Bylaws will be voted on moving Brain Food Garden Project one step closer to receiving its 501(c)3 status. 

Meta's recent decision to remove its third-party fact-checking program and relax rules on monitoring hate speech protecting the world’s most vulnerable citizens does not align with Brain Food Garden Projects code of ethics. We believe as a mental health and food justice peer run and operated nonprofit that these changes will amplify misinformation causing and expanding mental health challenges throughout our society. 

BFGP prides itself on being a community builder that wishes to see every individual reach their fullest and highest potential in life. Our concerns moving forward, is that Meta platforms effectiveness in combating divisive and untruthful content in the future will be nonexistent.

Therefore as of January Brain Food Garden Projects has cancelled our Threads and Instagram accounts. We have officially joined Bluesky social at @brainfoodgp.bsky.social 

When it is up and running we will be joining Bluesky’s app Flashes (like Instagram)
And finally, Wednesday March 26th will be our last day on Facebook. 

We invite you to join us on the newly forming Trust Cafe social platform. https://lnkd.in/epNrhv3X 

Whatever you personally decide you will always be able to find us at our website www.brainfoodgp.org and you will find me sharing all of BFGP’s latest on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/brain-food-garden-project or my page at https://lnkd.in/eidgStjj and very limited on Pinterest. 

Eat well & be well,

Sean Brennan

Founder/Executive Director

Brain Food Garden Project