My Father Needs Your Help

This is a hard post to write. For one, because it has to deal with things in my personal life, and two, because it’s about something that fills me with a lot of anger and frustration and fear. But, if I don’t post about it, if I don’t reach out, things may take a dire turn.

My father, John Clarke, worked as a gardener for the NYC Parks and Recreation Department for nearly two decades before he was wrongfully terminated in 2022 after his religious exemption to the Covid-19 vaccine mandate was illegally denied, in clear violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Since then, he and many city workers who have experienced this same injustice have been marching, rallying, and fighting in the courts for their jobs back and for the backpay they are entitled to. There have been significant court cases won, but not a single city worker has been hired back, despite several New York judges ordering that the city do so.

The city has been fighting dirty this entire time. These wrongfully terminated city workers have been assigned ‘problem codes’ which follow them around like a scarlet letter and prevent them from being hired for jobs that they are more than qualified for. Their unions have been completely unhelpful, simply telling them to ‘just take the jab’. They are also unable to collect unemployment. The city has also dangled horrible deals in front of them, saying that they’ll take these workers back right away if they start at entry level positions (not their old job) and sign away their right to sue or receive backpay.

While this abuse has gone on, my dad has had to dip into his savings every month in order to pay rent and bills. Those savings are now almost entirely gone. If things do not improve, in a few short months, he will be homeless and penniless.

This is a man who is a gardening expert, is in great physical condition, and is beloved by the communities he has gardened for. He has brought gardening beauty to areas that have desperately needed it, and has gardened in some of the harshest and most difficult conditions imaginable. This is also a man who is fighting for his rights, and who refused to be bullied into taking a shot that was against his religion to take. This is a hero, and he deserves a win.

I’ve helped him start a Patreon, where he is using his vast gardening expertise to help anyone who needs it, all over the world. For $30 per month, you get one 30-minute phone consultation with him per month, and can direct message gardening-related questions to him at any time, which he will answer in the order that he receives them. If just 166 people around the world were to sign up to his Patreon, he would be fully supported.

I hope you will consider signing up. No matter what the conditions, or whether it’s indoor or outdoor, he can help. A healthy and beautiful garden will improve your life greatly—and the small amount you would pay him per month for his expertise will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, as you do it. He can, and will, help you reach all of your gardening goals.

Thank you for reading, and please visit his Patreon today.