From Dignity Center to Plant Nursery: The Story Behind Our Mission
The Beginning: Dignity Work in Ocala
Back in 2014, a small team came to Ocala with a mission to revitalize Neighborhood Church. The church had 10 acres of land, no mortgage, and a lot of potential. Over the years, that potential started to grow in unexpected ways.
One of the most meaningful chapters began when the church connected with Ken and Wendy from Wear Gloves. They were running something called the Dignity Center, which gave people the opportunity to earn what they needed in a dignified way. The church opened its building as a host site, and volunteers worked alongside neighbors, assembling products and building real relationships. It was beautiful work that mattered.
Then, around the turn of 2025, things changed. The Dignity Center work became unavailable due to a number of factors. The question became clear: what could meet the same kind of need without depending on outside companies?
The Text Message That Changed Everything
That's when Ken and Wendy sent a text that would reshape everything: "Hey, you still got those 10 acres back there?"
The response was honest. "Well, yeah. A lot of it's just woods and scrub and cogon grass and fallen trees."
Their next question was simple but powerful: "What would it look like if you put a plant nursery on your property and gave job training for folks to work in horticulture?"
The first reaction? This seems like a hard idea to pull off. But the more the team prayed about it, the harder it became to shake. And the more it made sense.
Why a Plant Nursery?
Here's where the pieces started fitting together. Shortly after moving to Ocala Pastor Michael spent years working in landscaping and horticulture. He learned about plants, propagation, installation, irrigation, and lighting. He knew this world inside and out.
So here was a church with land. A pastor with plant knowledge. A community with needs. And a mission to invite neighbors to meet and follow Jesus while growing together.
Maybe this was what the church had been preparing for all along.
Welcome to the Neighborhood Plant Market
The Neighborhood Plant Market is a collaborative ministry between Neighborhood Church Ocala and Wear Gloves, who continue to provide administrative support. The goal is simple but powerful: Growing People Growing Plants.
Phase one is already underway. There's a pavilion on the property that needs some love. The church is putting a new roof on it and setting up benches to transform the space into a working nursery. This will be a place to grow plants, yes, but more importantly, it will be a place to build relationships, share skills, and create dignified employment opportunities for neighbors who need them.
The 10 acres offer plenty of room to grow. The vision is just getting started.
Support Is Already Growing
The response has been incredibly encouraging. Grace Financial, a ministry organization in Indiana, believed in this vision and provided a grant to get the project off the ground. Several families are already supporting the work, and volunteers are rolling up their sleeves to make it happen.
Right now, it's mostly volunteers doing the work and loving on neighbors in practical ways. But the dream is to move toward creating real job training and employment opportunities that help people build skills, earn income, and find dignity in their work.
How You Can Get Involved
If this sounds like something you'd like to be part of, there are several ways to jump in:
Stay Connected: Subscribe to the Neighborhood Plant Market YouTube channel and email newsletter for updates as the project grows.
Volunteer: Opportunities are developing. Check the market page for updates on how you can help.
Give: One-time donations and recurring gifts help move this vision forward faster. Recurring support is especially helpful for building toward sustainable employment opportunities.
Spread the Word: Share this story with people who might want to be part of something that combines community impact, job training, and a whole lot of plants.
The Neighborhood Plant Market is just getting started, but the roots are going deep. There's room to grow, skills to share, and neighbors to love. Come grow with us.
