Thanks to tremendous community support, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Grey Bruce branch now has a chance to secure some additional funding to enhance a flourishing program.
CMHA Grey Bruce's food forest program finished 4th in the community resilience category of the Aviva Community Fund, a national contest with 59 entries nationwide. The top five made it to the next stage and are eligible for $100,000.
CMHA Grey Bruce would not have secured this placing without the support of local media, the community at large and, of course the 1300 people who took the time to vote for this initiative.
A panel will now determine the winner out of the top-five projects on Dec. 6.
"We can't thank everyone enough," said Teresa Pearson, Food Forest Program Coordinator of CMHA Grey Bruce. "The groundswell of support for this program was tremendous. We now have our fingers crossed for more good news."
The food forest at St. George's Park has been a community hub for three years. It includes a fruit orchard and 70 raised garden beds for vegetables, herbs and other edible plants. CMHA Grey Bruce's 12 client gardeners assist with planting, tending to and harvesting the crops. The fruit and vegetables are sold at local markets and used in a community brunch program that provides nutritional meals to about 60 people daily, Monday to Friday.
If successful for an Aviva Community Fund grant, the branch will use the money to get a kick-start on implementing a three-year plan which includes hiring a horticulturalist, adding pathways, building a storage shed and herb-drying station, putting up new fencing to enclose the orchard, installing washrooms and building additional parking.