501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Where Warriors
Grow.
We build therapeutic gardens for America's veterans and first responders. Each garden comes with a custom therapy program. Because healing grows from the ground up.
Our Mission
Finding Peace in the Soil.
We support the healing journey of veterans, first responders, and Gold Star families affected by PTSD through the therapeutic benefits of gardening. Physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
The Process
How We Grow Together
Apply
Veterans and first responders submit an application. We work with their therapist to understand their needs.
Design
We create a custom garden plan and therapy program tailored to each participant's healing journey.
Build
Volunteers come together for a build day. 3 to 5 hours of hard work, good company, and purpose.
Grow
The veteran receives ongoing support, gardening education, and a community that understands.
Veteran Stories
Lives Rooted in Growth
Eric Brefini
“This garden has taken things to a whole other level. It has given me a purpose, a reason to wake up, something to look forward to.”Read Their Story
Joe Gaulton
“As a soldier I was taught not to quit. Now I know you should listen to your body and take care of it.”Read Their Story
Who We Serve
Heroes Who Earned This
Military Veterans
Currently serving or honorably separated service members dealing with post-traumatic stress.
First Responders
Law enforcement, EMS, and firefighters who carry the weight of what they've witnessed on the job.
Gold Star Families
The families of fallen heroes, mothers, spouses, and children, who carry their loved one's memory.
There is no cost to the veteran, ever. Apply for a garden
Plant a Seed of Change
Your Impact, Measured in Growth
Every dollar goes directly to building gardens. Each garden costs $2,700–$3,400 to build, covering lumber, soil, plants, tools, and a custom therapy program.
Materials & Supplies
Contributes toward the screws, geotextile, paint, mulch, and volunteer meals for a build day.
Donate $250Major Contribution
A significant step toward a full garden build. Each garden costs $2,700 to $3,400 to complete.
Donate $500
Our Founders
From Walter Reed to the Garden
Mike Trost is a 32-year Army veteran who was shot five times with a machine gun in Afghanistan. After 35 surgeries at Walter Reed, including a below-the-knee amputation, he found healing in the soil, growing Cascade hops on his farm with his wife Stephanie.
That personal transformation became a mission. In 2020, they founded Frontline Gardens to bring the same healing to veterans and first responders across the South.
Stephanie Trost, Co-Founder
“We don't just build them a garden, we teach them to be gardeners.”
There's something very therapeutic about getting your hands dirty, listening to the birds chirping, feeling the earthworm crawling through this natural soil.
David Buzzard
U.S. Army · Purple Heart Recipient · Eastern NC
Supported By
From the Field
Recent Photos
Eric and Kim Brefini
Joe Gaulton
Dominic Lewis
Bernie KoPrince
Jared Gould
Tammy Pederson
Brandi Murray
Daniel Bivens
David Best
Christian Miller
UNCW Student Veterans
Ward Taft
Volunteer
Join a build day. 3-5 hours of meaningful work alongside fellow community members.
Sign Up to VolunteerHelp Us Grow
100% of monetary and in-kind donations go directly to building gardens for veterans and first responders who need them.
Donate Now