Meet Mat Morgan: Growing Peace, Purpose, and Possibility
Mat Morgan joined the H.O.P.E. Gardens team on February 12, 2026, helping care for our gardens and coordinate the volunteers who make so much of our work possible.
For Mat, gardening has always been about more than growing plants.
“Gardening brings me peace,” he shares. “It reminds me of simpler times as a kid, growing things with my grandmother in her garden behind her shed. I feel like we could all use more peace nowadays.”
Before joining H.O.P.E. Gardens, Mat spent 17 years managing the third-highest-volume location in the country for the nation’s largest bridal retailer. He then spent five years as a stay-at-home parent to his two daughters. Although he does not have formal gardening certifications, Mat has been growing plants throughout his life. He is also a licensed real estate agent.
What Mat enjoys most about his work is simple: the plants and the purpose behind them.
“I love the cause and what we do,” Mat says. “More people need to learn how to grow their own food and become more self-sufficient.”
His advice for new gardeners is to never give up.
“Everyone is capable of growing something. You just have to keep trying different methods and varieties until you find what works.”
Outside of H.O.P.E. Gardens, Mat enjoys gardening, reading history and strategy books, building with LEGOs, and watching hockey. He is a devoted Tampa Bay Lightning fan and an aviation enthusiast who can identify just about anything that flies. His favorite way to spend a day off is with his wife and daughters, exploring a park or enjoying a day at the beach.
After living in the South for 30 years, Mat and his family relocated to what he affectionately calls “paradise,” also known as West Michigan, in search of a better life.
Mat’s favorite fruit is pineapple, his favorite flowers are pansies, and he admits that he truly loves just about every plant. His lifelong love of growing, commitment to sustainability, and belief in never giving up make him a wonderful addition to the H.O.P.E. Gardens team.
