Alltech donates $100,000 to GreenHouse17

Central Kentucky agency operates emergency shelter and supports survivors of intimate partner abuse  

LEXINGTON, Kentucky] — Alltech presented a $100,000 donation this week to GreenHouse17, an advocacy agency and emergency shelter in Central Kentucky committed to ending intimate partner abuse. 

The donation — which comes during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, commemorated every year in October — was made possible thanks to the success of Alltech’s third annual Make a Difference Golf Scramble and matching funds from the Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the philanthropic endeavors of Alltech and the Lyons family.  

“GreenHouse17 nurtures and transforms lives,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “It is a great privilege to support GreenHouse 17’s mission to provide a safe community where survivors of abuse can heal and grow stronger.” 

For nearly two decades, GreenHouse17 has provided crisis intervention and stabilization services for those affected by intimate partner abuse in 17 Kentucky counties. It serves approximately 6,000 survivors and their children every year, including 250 survivors and their children who stay at GreenHouse17’s 17,000-square-foot emergency shelter, which is located on its 40-acre campus in rural Fayette County. Part of this land serves as a therapeutic farm, where residents grow produce and flowers, reconnecting with nature as a vital part of their healing process. Working on the farm allows survivors to develop new skills that will empower them as they rebuild their lives. 

Through these efforts, a vibrant social enterprise has been established in which survivors help grow flowers that are sold in the community and create handcrafted items — including “Handmade by Survivors” soaps, bath salts, candles and lip balms — that are sold online and at community events, pop-up shops and festivals. 

GreenHouse17 not only empowers survivors but plays a vital role in raising awareness about intimate partner abuse, which affects people from all walks of life, including men. GreenHouse17 offers an avenue for survivors to seek help without shame and serves as a reminder “that they are much more than what has happened to them,” said Darlene Thomas, executive director. 

“Intimate partner abuse is a community issue,” Thomas said. “We help survivors of domestic violence move from crisis to self-sufficiency, but we can’t do it alone. It must be a community effort.”  

Alltech and the Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation are longtime supporters of GreenHouse17 and its mission to support survivors of intimate partner violence.  

“GreenHouse17 provides a sanctuary for recovery and renewal, empowering thousands of survivors annually through legal advocacy, affordable housing resources, safe visitation for children and countless other essential services,” said Deirdre Lyons, Alltech’s co-founder and director of corporate image, design and construction. 

Alltech has supported GreenHouse17 for six years, and this is the second year in a row that Alltech has presented a donation of $100,000 to the organization.  

“Alltech has been a tremendous supporter of our program and its growth,” Thomas said. “The biggest message you send when you support GreenHouse17 is that everybody we serve has value and worth, and that’s a message that has not been given to them in their daily lives. Alltech really walks what it talks, and I am so grateful to the Lyons family and everyone at Alltech who made this happen. Our survivors are blessed by our continued partnership.” 

This year, GreenHouse17 hired its first program participant to support its flower social enterprise. Ultimately, Thomas said, the goal is for GreenHouse17’s social enterprises to be led by survivors who have participated in its program.  

GreenHouse17 is community-driven and -supported, relying on volunteers, grants and donations to fund its activities. To find out how to support the organization’s mission, visit greenhouse17.org. You can also watch this video to learn more about the program.