Salvation Army Community Garden Increases Socialization and Reduces Food Insecurity

To teach participants how to grow their own vegetables, The Salvation Army’s Community Church in Belleville, Ont., in cooperation with the Community Development Council (CDC) of Quinte, organizes the community garden initiative each spring.

Since the incorporation of The Salvation Army’s garden in 2017, members of the program have raised 24 vegetable-rich garden beds, a skill that can prevent food insecurity.

While participants of the garden initiative can keep the vegetables they grow, some of them share the harvest with other people that may need it. This is the case for participant Margaret Van Norman, who has maintained a garden bed for the past four years.

“Knowing you are maintaining something for yourself and at the same time are helping others by giving some of your vegetables to the church or to people in need gives you a sense of pride.”

“Knowing you are maintaining something for yourself and at the same time are helping others by giving some of your vegetables to the church or to people in need gives you a sense of pride,” Margaret said. Growing your vegetables gives you a sense of pride

Even though each participant is assigned to one garden bed, everyone looks out for each other’s gardens. As everyone has different experience levels with gardening, some garden beds may flourish better than others. For this reason, Margaret likes to water all the gardens when she comes around, as she wants to make sure everyone can have a good crop.

Since joining the Community Garden Program, Margaret has learned a lot about gardening. She credits Darlene Tustin, who oversees the program, for helping her along the way.

“Darlene is very helpful. If you are tending your garden and she happens to be there she’ll come over and encourage you, tell you, you are doing a good job, and if you have questions, she’ll answer all of them,” Margaret said.

Darlene’s expertise comes from gardening pretty much her whole life.

“We like to have fellowship with the people in our neighbourhood and this really helped that.”

“I have a lot of experience gardening, I come from a farming background and always have had a garden. I am out there quite often since a lot of the participants are new to gardening, so when they let me know, I go out and help them, and buy plants with them, so they know what to look for and what to plant,” Darlene said.

In addition to the benefits that come with maintaining a garden, Darlene pointed out that getting involved in this program also brings togetherness within the local community.

“We like to have fellowship with the people in our neighbourhood and this really helped that. It’s a nice non-threatening environment,” Darlene added.

By Juan Romero

 

Photo credit: Jim Mallabar – Program Coordinator (Community Development Council of Quinte)