He took an old household gutter and other materials and engineered a nutrient-rich planter to keep water flowing to the plants that are growing out of the contraption.
The greenhouse project is just one of the many Ben Blachly worked on this summer volunteering his time and skills at Hope Center Indy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping survivors of human trafficking.
Blachly, 18, New Palestine, has been working at the facility’s Blooming Hope Greenhouse, 11850 Brookville Road, where the Hope Center has been growing and selling flower baskets and produce to help raise money to build even more hydroponics systems to grow vegetables.
Blachly has been utilizing agricultural engineering techniques to efficiently grow food for residents at the Hope Center.
He was looking for a volunteering opportunity this summer. He got lucky finding one where he could help others while using his engineering skills, he said. Blachly, a senior at New Palestine High School, plans to go to college to become an engineer.
“I’ve always kind of been into plants, and this project let me do a couple of things I like to do,” Blachly said.
The experience has been rewarding, he said, knowing the growing units he’s helped design and engineer are helping people who’ve suffered through human trafficking.