“At any given moment you have the power to say ‘this is not how the story is going to end.’”
Christine Mason Miller
Gardens Foundation
Gardens Foundation is a beacon of hope, providing a compassionate refuge for women and children who have escaped the shadows of domestic violence. With a focus on comprehensive support, the foundation offers a safe haven where survivors can heal emotionally and spiritually, blossom in personal development and cultivate a brighter future.
Our immediate services include:
Pop-up classes for moms and kids to have fun creating and learning from and for each other.
Partnerships with local businesses to provide unique experiences not available to many survivors without sponsorship.
Self-care workshops to begin and continue the healing process.
Our future vision involves retreat centers serving as comforting sanctuary’s, staffed with caring administrators and case managers:
Gardens Foundation creates peaceful spaces, a refuge coupled with creative healing programs fostering connection and community. Educational and exploratory centers with sensory integration therapy activities, crafts that nurture creativity and growth, while vegetable gardens, fruit trees and a prayer and gratitude wall create a sense of peace and renewal.
In parallel, Gardens Foundation extends its embrace to children from all walks of life through the transformative Gardens Camps. These unique camp experiences provide young hearts with endless fun, exploration and confidence building excitement, while simultaneously offering a spiritual awakening and a life of simplicity, in collaboration with other organizations that share similar missions.
Equine therapy, arts, music, and outdoor adventures await, fostering emotional healing and creating lifelong memories.
By intertwining these powerful initiatives, Gardens Foundation emerges as a symbol of resilience and change, illuminating the path towards brighter futures for those who have endured darkness and uncertainty.
OUR FOUNDER
Jamie Marquez
Jamie Marquez grew up in a small town in New Jersey. She embarked on her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 9, driven by the challenge of earning enough money to attend Camp Sequoia in Abingdon, VA. Through her memorable camp experiences, she believes all children should have the opportunity to attend camp, where priceless life lessons are learned, confidence is built, friendships develop into a lifelong community of support and endless memories are created.
With unwavering determination and a strong work ethic, Jamie took on multiple jobs and faced various challenges to achieve her dreams. Eventually, she earned a BA in Public Relations and Marketing, with a minor in Psychology, from Rutgers University. At the age of 26, she made a significant milestone by purchasing her first home in Southern California.
Professionally successful in the Pharmaceutical and Packaging Industries, Jamie's endeavors also extended to community service, ministry and creating Gardens Foundation to serve those at-risk within the community and beyond. As a mother and stepmom, she gained insight into the struggles faced by children, motivating her to break the cycle of abuse and hardship they endure. Jamie remains steadfast in her mission to find comprehensive and lasting solutions for the well-being of children in need.