Known for her achievements and advocacy on the track, Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas is now putting her passions in the dirt.

The five-time medalist has recently partnered with Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day to promote the brand’s Lots of Compassion initiative. Now in its third year, the program aims to transform vacant lots across the United States into thriving community gardens in order to foster health, well-being and compassion in neighborhoods nationwide.

“I am a big advocate for giving back to the community, and they believe in the power of compassion and bringing communities together,” Thomas told Blavity in a recent interview.

How community gardens improve mental and physical health

She added, “With my background in public health and as an athlete, it definitely hits home. And I understand the impact that’s being made here.”

Part of the impact of the Lots of Compassion initiative is to get individuals to contribute to the growth and development of their communities.

The initiative’s official announcement cited a study from the Pew Research Center stating that while 90% of Americans have a strong desire to support their community, “only 1 in 4” get involved. These numbers correlate to the 20% drop in community events and volunteer work within the last decade.

“I think there’s a clear willingness to contribute on behalf of everybody and give back to their communities, but there needs to be a simple, impactful solution for that. That’s why I love the Lots of Compassion campaign, because it really is that,” Thomas said.

Why Gabby Thomas feels personally connected to the initiative

Thomas graduated from Harvard University in 2019 with a degree in neurobiology and a minor in global health and health policy. She completed her Master of Public Health in epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2023.

She attributes her passion for advocating for the mental and physical well-being of others to “growing up as a young Black girl and being exposed to different communities and being exposed to disadvantaged communities.”

Thomas has always had a “mission” to use her platform from track and field to “drive the conversation” and make an impact.

The real impact of the ‘Lots Of Compassion’ campaign

Adding the gardens and beautifying the neighborhoods are crucial to addressing residents’ mental health, physical well-being and community trust.

The initiative has pledged to transform 50 gardens by 2027. Within the program’s first two years, 20 gardens were completed in cities from Chicago to Pahoa, Hawaii. The additions impacted over 45,000 community members and turned over 70,000 square feet of land into thriving green spaces.

“Any community, when you see, like, a vacant lot is transformed into a community garden, and you can see the positive impact that that has on people’s mental health and well-being and their physical health and well-being, I think it could really inspire communities to continue to do that more. It’s not just about literally planting seeds. It’s about figuratively planting seeds and showing people that there is hope and connection, and just a small act of kindness can go a long way,” Thomas said of the campaign’s impact.

The Lots of Compassion initiative is projected to benefit more than 110,000 people by 2027. Learn more about Lots of Compassion grant recipients and the impact the grant has had on their communities, visit Compassion of Garden Grants.

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