Garden of Hope
The Cause
The funding will be used to expand our community garden at the local Airdrie Ag Society. We want to repurpose unused space near the gardening sheds to create a sustainable, local solution to contribute to the increasing demand for fresh, nutritious sources of food for individuals and families in need. who live in Airdrie. The anticipated seasonal production of hundreds of pounds of vegetables and herbs that will be harvested from the garden will help to fill an urgent need for fresh produce at the local Airdrie Food Bank and Airdrie's Community Kitchen. A continuous supply of healthy procedure is required to support the endless need for families struggling in our community.
Food inflation rates of over 11% have made meeting this demand even more challenging. We know that over 20%, or more than 1 in 6 families in Airdrie are facing food insecurity and struggling to feed their families. The community needs this, and Volunteer Airdrie's Community Garden programs needs your help to make sure we can support families in crisis!
This unique opportunity will:
• Provide fresh produce,
• Help ensure nutritious meals for families facing crisis or adversity,
• Be a sustainable and environmental initiative,
• Reduce food insecurity,
• Support families facing adversity and crisis,
• Nourish Airdrie's most vulnerable.
“We are proud to be able to make the contribution of space and resources to this important sustainable program that will provide much needed nourishment to families in our community for years to come,” says Lauire, Board Member of the Airdrie Ag Society. “Partnering with like-minded organizations like Volunteer Airdrie, Airdrie Community Kitchen and Airdirie Food Bank, allows us to actively engage in our commitment to supporting Calgarians through initiatives that meet their physical needs, while also serving them with dignity and respect.”
Who Will it Benefit?
This funding will support vulnerable families facing situations of adversity or crisis. Currently, we are supporting over 12,000 individuals every year, and the number continues to increase. We provide services for families, such as our Community Kitchen, where parents and individuals can learn how to prepare healthy meals from the procedure provided by Volunteer Airdrie. The number of families that we can assist depends on the resources available from our volunteer group and the donations received at any given time.
Situations facing the families we support might include, but are not limited to: families affected by job loss, transitional moves that require volunteer support, medical transportation support for local seniors, youth mental health, diversity and inclusion among youth in Airdrie.