Frank Denney likes to make things grow.

And now he has a job doing just that, thanks to a unique partnership among Fairfield County Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities/Fairfield Industries, Ohio University Lancaster Campus, and Allen’s Lancaster Greenhouse.

Frank, a young adult with a developmental disability and a passion for gardening, has held jobs in the community and at Fairfield Industries in the past. He successfully completed the six-week Master Gardener program at the Ohio State University Extension a couple of years ago. But until now, horticulture was just a hobby as he tended a garden behind his group home in Lancaster.

Frank now spends each day planting and cultivating hundreds of tomato and pepper plants, ornamental grasses, hanging baskets and annuals as part of the G.R.O.W. Project, a joint effort among Fairfield MRDD, Ohio University Lancaster Campus and Allen’s Lancaster Greenhouse. G.R.O.W. is an acronym for Growing Resources and Opportunities that Work. The plants are being grown in the greenhouse on the Lancaster Campus, and will be retailed this spring and summer at Allen’s Lancaster Greenhouse.

John Pekar, superintendent at Fairfield MRDD, thinks this is the only partnership of its kind in the state.

“I don’t know of any other partnership between higher education, a social service agency and private industry,” said Pekar. “We’re very excited about this project and what it can become in the future. We’re grateful to have such a strong supporter and partner in Ohio University Lancaster.”

Rob Allen, owner of Allen’s Lancaster Greenhouse, is equally excited about the venture. “After working with Frank the first day, I knew we had made the right decision to do this. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around, and you can tell that he truly loves what he’s doing.”

Through the supervision of Allen and others from the Lancaster Greenhouse staff, Denney is working with a job coach to fill pots with soil, plant either seeds or plant plugs. He then waters and fertilizes the plants in the greenhouse to prepare them for retail sale this spring.

“Our own greenhouse space is limited,” said Allen. “The G.R.O.W. Project is basically serving as a contract grower for us. Instead of purchasing plants from outside the area, we’re able to monitor the process and keep the business local.”

Fairfield MRDD also partners with the Lancaster Campus to operate THE ZONE, the food service and vending operation serving students, faculty, and staff. The service has grown to include on- and off-site catering for groups as large as 200.

“We are so happy with our current partnership for food service that we are glad to expand, and pleased that the greenhouse is being used. The Campus honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, will market the flowers and will use the earnings for a scholarship,” said John Furlow, associate dean at the Lancaster Campus. He worked with local horticulturists and greenhouse managers to develop the partnership. “One of our students will serve an internship working with MRDD on this project. This is a real win-win-win situation.”

“THE ZONE has been a big success story for us as far as creating opportunities for people with disabilities to work in the community,” said Pekar. “We’re hoping for the same success with the G.R.O.W. Project, which will also give us an opportunity to provide horticulture therapy services for both children and adults in our program.”

Fairfield MRDD and Ohio University Lancaster Campus will host a reception and ribbon cutting ceremony at the greenhouse at 12:00 noon on Monday, March 31.