Arctic Winter Wellness Growing

The Cause

Our idea will focus on the education around growing nutritionally dense food in small spaces, in the dark Winter months in the NWT. Firstly - We’d like to put together micro-green and small hydroponic growing kits to give out to the communities in the Beaufort Delta - which we will support through workshops (in person, and online). Secondly - We’d like to purchase and distribute Hydroponic Towers to the Beaufort Delta Communities that will run alongside our Spring programming, with those involved to be supported post-workshop (for any troubleshooting/questions that arise during use). The funds will be used to contribute toward material and administrative costs.

A little about us: The Inuvik Community Greenhouse is a not-for-profit, community driven resource, and has been in operation since 1988. It is focused on fostering community through gardening. We are positioned and operate as a regional hub and resource in the Western Arctic. Our mission is to provide a means of well-being through recreation and local food production.

We provide educational and outreach programming, workshops and events year-round that are centered around; Arctic food availability, seasonality, affordability, culturally relevant harvesting, food security/sovereignty and creating autonomy for families and individuals facing barriers. Through these actions we aim to provide a welcoming, inclusive and accessible environment for all.

Who Will it Benefit?

After community consultations, the population acknowledged that there was a desire to grow their own food and eat healthily, but there were barriers due to accessibility, education and funding. We aim to empower and benefit residents and surrounding communities through our enabling programming to take over a portion of their food supply and provide an economical source of good quality food through education and a safe and accessible space. Further, our vision is to promote community and food security through affordable year-round gardening and northern agriculture.

In relation to our other programming, we aim to try and benefit any and all residents of our Northern remote communities by creating an open and inclusive space that engages, rather than just gives.

We’d like to focus on engaging school students first, then reach out through our community coordinator program to the other Beaufort Delta communities as well as Inuvik to provide support and education for hydroponic growing. This will be towards our client lists through the Food Bank and through our ‘veggie prescription’ program for healthy eating.