I looked around the pavilion and saw picnic tables covered with terracotta pots filled with brightly colored flowers and plants. There were lots of muddy hands, colorful shovels being plunged into soil, and a hum of lighthearted chatter filling the space.
“What are you planting next?”
“I’ve never grown those before!”
“I love that one!”
This was Growing Impact, The Cause’s first-ever plant potting party and fundraiser, held at Kleiner Park in Meridian, Idaho, on May 30, 2026. The vision was simple: bring our community together to plant 300 pots while raising support for The Cause through the sponsorship of each one.
Guests filled their pots with flowers, succulents, herbs, summer produce, and houseplants to take home or donate to seniors at the Meridian Senior Center and refugee families through Glocal’s Community Garden for New Americans. And our community showed up in a big way!
Together, we planted 304 pots, with nearly two-thirds donated to serve seniors and refugee families throughout the Treasure Valley.
But the impact didn’t stop with what we planted that day.
Through the generosity of our community—and an incredible matching donor—Growing Impact raised over $10,000 for The Cause, helping us continue to equip and care for more than 100 faith-driven leaders serving the underserved in Idaho and around the world.
The day itself was full of the kind of relationships that we value so deeply at The Cause.
It began with a small team of volunteers setting up planting stations, kids’ activities, and food. Before the event began, we gathered together to pray over the event and all who would come. Soon, guests started arriving, received a quick lesson on how to plant each variety of plants, and then were released to get their hands dirty.
As pots began filling the tables, members of The Cause’s Boise team shared more about our work, and two of our Boise-based partners shared stories of what God has been doing through their ministries. Between times of sharing, people planted, talked, and laughed, both meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends.
Looking back, one of my favorite parts of the day was seeing just how interconnected everyone was. Around those tables were friends and family members, coworkers and ministry partners, mentors and supporters. People weren’t simply showing up for an event; they were showing up for one another.
That is the kind of community we hope to continue cultivating.
At The Cause, one of our core values is People Over Projects. We believe meaningful change happens through people—and that people thrive when they are known, encouraged, equipped, and surrounded by community. Growing Impact was a small but beautiful picture of that belief in action.
We are incredibly grateful to every sponsor, donor, volunteer, partner, and guest who made Growing Impact possible! Thank you for planting pots, giving generously, welcoming others, and helping us surpass our goal.
We look forward to hosting more events that foster connection while supporting our partners, their ministries, and the local communities our staff and volunteers call home.