The Garden Spot Experience
EXPLORING GARDEN SPOT COMMUNITIES
At Garden Spot Communities we live our mission and we know our people. We invite you to learn more. If what you see inspires you to join us, we would love to have you join us. If our community doesn’t feel like a good fit, that’s OK. Fit is important and we wish you well as you find your purpose.
FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS
We can step forward confidently and set our course for the future because of our Foundational Elements, which include our:
Envisioned Future
Mission
Guiding Principle
Employee Value Proposition
Customer Value Proposition
ENVISIONED FUTURE
Spark a pro-aging revolution!
Garden Spot Community is a significant catalyst for sociocultural transformation regarding aging— resulting in new language, new mindsets and new attitudes which are fully embraced by society.
We reject can’t, shouldn’t and won’t because of age.
Age is no longer seen as a liability but instead a reality that is leveraged in ways that improve the life of the individual, the wellbeing of communities and also benefits society.
SPARK A PRO-AGING REVOLUTION!
Do you know another continuing care retirement community that hosts 1,000 people plus their friends and family to run a half marathon? Every spring, the Garden Spot Village half-marathon and 10K inspire people of all ages to walk or run our road course. Event staff walk the course, ensuring that even those at the back of the pack have a safe, enjoyable experience. In addition, we keep the finish line open until the last competitor crosses. We honor runners in all age groups and repeatedly support people in their 80s and 90s who complete our half marathon.
MISSION
Inspired by the life of Jesus, we cultivate vibrant community for purposeful living.
Healthy organizations are built on foundational values. Garden Spot Communities has a foundation based on a Christian heritage. As a result, we create an inclusive community for staff and residents from many faith traditions and those with no faith tradition. We desire to maintain our Christian heritage. We look at the life and teachings of Jesus for inspiration on how we can best live and work together in this world, believing that if we do this well, it will lead us to abundance, not scarcity… to trust, not control… to love, not fear.
MISSION
Liudvih Minikh, a Ukrainian refugee, began English as a Second Language (ESL) lessons with Garden Spot Village Resident Dan Correnti through a program at Westminster Presbyterian in Lancaster. When a role became available in the Garden Spot Village Maintenance Department, Dan recommended Liudvih apply. Soon after, Liudvih’s wife Nadiia joined the Garden Spot Village team in the Central Kitchen. Recognizing the rich diversity refugees bring to our community and the opportunity to live out our mission, human resources formalized a program to support our team members from other countries.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE
Be Kind. Do Good. Show Love.
A guiding principle is a strongly held belief that is understood and embraced by all team members. It should influence and guide employee behavior, actions and decisions. We created our guiding principle to meet each of these definitions and to emphasize our commitment to person-centered care for everyone in our community.
The guiding principle should be applied in all situations— from the ways we interact with residents, guests and team members each day to the ways we serve our local, regional and global community.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE
Because we feel so strongly about serving, we create opportunities for residents and team members to serve together. Since 2010, Garden Spot has facilitated Travel with Purpose trips to Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Kenya have created lasting international experiences for all involved. Regional trips to New York, North Carolina and Alabama have also provided for local and regional service opportunities. We encourage team members to participate, providing matching paid time off and fundraising opportunities for the sponsored trips.
RESIDENT VALUE PROPOSITION
Abundant Opportunities to Live with Purpose in Community
Our value proposition is a promise and commitment to our residents. It sets us apart; we strive to deliver it day in and day out.
RESIDENT VALUE PROPOSITION
Since 2018, Bruce and Alice Bishop have thrived at Frederick Living. “We cherish our independence within a vibrant, close-knit community. Alice’s volunteerism as a Marketing Receptionist and Bruce’s routine at the Wellness Center enriches our sense of purpose. The lock-and-leave lifestyle here has been a gateway to global adventures. Yet, it’s the daily connections and new memories made with neighbors that truly define our life at Frederick Living,” say the Bishops.
TEAM MEMBER VALUE PROPOSITION
A community committed to knowing you and helping you fulfill your dreams and live the life you imagine.
We want our team member value proposition to be a compelling reason why someone would choose to work for Garden Spot Communities.
TEAM MEMBER VALUE PROPOSITION
With the cost of housing rising, a team member asked if Garden Spot could consider a new home ownership program. After some research, Garden Spot unveiled a grant program where team members, who were not already homeowners, could earn up to $20,000 towards the downpayment of a new home. The first to participate in the program, Matt Stoltzfus and Morgan Lanser moved to their new home in June 2024.
OUR VALUES
We recognize that some things are baked into our community's DNA; we define them here and provide stories to support the ways we live and work together in community.
EXCELLENCE
| INTEGRITY | SERVICE | STEWARDSHIP | COMMUNITY | INNOVATION
EXCELLENCE
We strive to do the right thing right.
Excellence in service leads to the delight of our customers and the discovery of our best selves.
EXCELLENCE
“Have you ever been to Longwood Gardens? Garden Spot Village is like placing a 55-plus community in the middle of Longwood Gardens. The attention to detail makes all the difference.”
-John Chatley, Garden Spot Village Resident Since January 2024
INTEGRITY
We will serve with honor, or not at all.
We recognize that service without integrity is meaningless, and strive to be fair, honest, open and accountable in every action, no matter how small.
INTEGRITY
A longstanding tradition at Garden Spot Village, Coffee & Conversation, a bi-weekly “ask anything” resident gathering, creates transparency and a deep level of trust in the community’s leadership. Given the popularity of the gathering, when Frederick Living announced a pending affiliation with Garden Spot, one of the first things Steve Lindsey implemented was a regular Coffee & Conversation. It immediately gave residents a voice in the midst of uncertainty and reassured residents and staff that Garden Spot Communities leadership was there to support them.
SERVICE
We believe that selfless love leads to service.
Through Christ-like love, we recognize the inherent value of each person and serve those around us with compassion and empathy.
SERVICE
Wes Kopp, RN Supervisor at Maple Farm, serves as the Captain at Garden Spot Fire Rescue, New Holland’s volunteer fire company. Each summer, he takes a week of vacation to help lead Cadet Camp, an innovative, kid-friendly introduction to firefighting.
STEWARDSHIP
We are caregivers, not just caretakers.
By fostering growth as individuals and as a community, we embody God’s call to bear fruit from each gift with which He has graciously entrusted us.
STEWARDSHIP
Garden Spot’s aeroponic greenhouse offers space to grow 18,000 plants in 10-foot growing columns. The greenhouse, built in late 2015, gives Garden Spot Village chefs access to fresh, organic, ultra-local produce yearround. Farm-to-table literally takes minutes. The benefits to the community abound as well. Residents who delight in horticulture share their skills and experience in the greenhouse. Students from local schools enjoy learning about alternative growing techniques, and the New Holland Food Pantry enjoys weekly donations.
COMMUNITY
We are hardwired to care, connect and serve. We are a place to belong, and together we will strive to know and be known; to love and be loved; to serve and be served.
COMMUNITY
“I’ve worked in retirement communities in four states; everyone says their community is ‘different.’
Garden Spot Communities truly is.”
Sammi Ford, Director of DayBreak at Garden Spot Village
INNOVATION
We fail forward to cultivate change.
We believe innovation and creativity are integrated into everything we do, and engage these gifts to foster meaningful, progressive and valuable growth.
INNOVATION
Often, affordable housing for older adults is tied to government funding. Garden Spot CEO Steve Lindsey asked, “Can we find a better way?” Through conversations with local businesses, churches and ministries, Garden Spot introduced the concept of cooperative living. Built with volunteer labor and donations, Thistledown Cooperative Living offers safe, affordable housing for five members of our local community without relying on government subsidies. A post-occupancy evaluation identified opportunities for improving the blueprints for future homes. A second home is slated to be built in 2025.
FAILING FORWARD
“We all need to cultivate a failure resume.” – Garden Spot Communities CEO Steve Lindsey
What does it mean to fail forward? It means that we need to innovate and find new ways to address challenges. When a project fails, we ask tough questions to figure out why. Most importantly, we apply the solutions to those failures to the next round of innovation. It doesn’t mean we keep failing, but rather, we make adjustments for the future. Sometimes our biggest failure can lead to our greatest success! For example, when the first marathon race was finished and all the runners had gone home, nobody wanted to even consider hosting another race. But, since it was advertised as the “First Annual” we counted our failures and determined how to turn those experiences into success the following year. Nearly 20 years later, the entire community is engaged as we welcome nearly 1,000 runners plus their families and friends to our campus.
EXPLORING OUR DIFFERENCES
We Create a Space to Explore Differences
We believe that each of us has been uniquely created. We come with our own unique set of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, abilities and beliefs. Adding our experiences to those of others in our community leads to new insights and wisdom. We provide opportunities to explore our differences without a need to change each other.
We believe Garden Spot Communities offers a wonderful place to live and work. If you believe the same, we invite you to join us to
Spark a Pro-Aging Revolution!