Free Indoor Gardening Kit Offers Chicagoans Connection, Free Gifts this Holiday Season

EVANSTON, Ill., Nov. 10, 2026 — With winter weather around the corner, Mather is offering older adults free gardening kits, instructional videos and an online community to help brighten the season, ease loneliness and give people a shared reason to connect.

Now through Nov. 20, Mather's "Grow-It-Together" program is available to Illinois residents age 55+ and includes a free gardening kit delivered to your home, including a hydroponic self-watering garden and seed starters. Additionally, participants get access to videos for learning at one's own pace and an encouraging Facebook community where growers can ask questions, share progress and grow alongside friends throughout the winter and beyond.

Participants can also use their gardens in Mather's free virtual programming, which includes upcoming Seasonal Sips & Infusions and Gardens to Gifts to grow herbs and make teas and infusions to enjoy during the cold months. For those not eligible for the kits, but know someone who is, they make a great economical gifting idea.

According to Retirement Living, more than a quarter of older adults wish they had more social connections during the holidays, while more than half say they must adjust their holiday spending.

Mather's kits and programming are informed by its research arm, Mather Institute, which has found that people who grow their own produce save approximately $36 on their weekly grocery bill and engage in significantly more healthy behaviors than non-gardeners.

Supplies are limited so those interested in registering should visit: mather.com/gardensignup.

All virtual programming opportunities can be found at: mather.com/programs/virtual-programs.

SOURCE Mather