Community Garden Provides Fresh Produce to Families in Belleville

The 24 raised garden beds at The Salvation Army Belleville Citadel will again yield a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables this summer to bring food security to anyone in the community.

The Community Development Council of Quinte (CDC-Q) runs the garden program in partnership with churches in Belleville and surrounding areas, including The Salvation Army Belleville Citadel. Demand for the Citadel plots is high, as there is currently a wait list. Last year every plot was claimed by gardeners who tended the plants to put fresh and nutritious fruit and vegetables on the dinner table of families and individuals in Belleville.

“The program is running very well, and we are encouraged by the demand for the garden beds, knowing that people are getting healthy food to eat,” says Rebekah Leach, Community Services and Thrift Store Director with The Salvation Army in Belleville.

In 2022, the 24 beds at The Salvation Army Belleville Citadel provided food for 175 people in need. Overall, the 127 CDC-Q garden beds supported 1,100 people in Belleville and area who are living with food insecurity. Produce grown in the gardens is shared with Salvation Army Community and Family Services for their meal programs and with other local agencies.

“Lots of wonderful conversations and connections have happened over those garden beds. We are very thankful that we are helping our most vulnerable residents. We will continue to provide hope in the community,” Rebekah says.

Jim Mallabar, Program Coordinator with CDC-Q, said the garden program is a partnership is between the CDC-Q and local churches, making the program open to anyone, regardless of income.

“The gardens make a difference to the community as they help fight food insecurity directly for people who use the beds and even more so to all the food organizations who receive donations from gardeners every year,” Jim says.

More information about the community garden program and a 2023 application can be found at https://cdcquinte.com/community-gardens/.