On May 18, 2017, the GARDENS Pod Project, in partnership with the Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society (LEGS), came together to plant for a good cause. Gathering at the Daily Bread Food Bank in South Etobicoke, volunteers planted a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables in six raised planter beds with the end goal of donating produce directly back into South Etobicoke through the Daily Bread Food Bank and LAMP CHC Good Food Market.
The garden at LEGS is just 1 of the 11 partner organizations and/or local residents for the GARDENS Pod Project. Other pod locations include Humber Lakeshore Campus, LAMP Community Health Centre, Thomas Berry Early Learning & Child Care Centre, Marguerite Butt Early Learning & Child Care Centre, St. Leo Catholic School, LUSH Cosmetics, Haven on the Queensway, Lakeshore Lodge Long Term Care, Toronto Public Library – Long Branch and Barsa Kelly Cari Can Coop. The GARDENS Pod Project is a community garden concept using mobile-raised beds which are easy to maintain and are dispersed across various locations within South Etobicoke.
As part of the GARDENS Pod Project, partner organizations donate a minimum of 50% of the harvest which goes back to the project. In the year 2016, the Pod Project’s sites provided 122kg of fresh produce to local food banks.
This year, the project will be installing Irrigatia solar powered watering system at partner sites. The GARDENS Pod Project is supported by the Humber College Community Partnership Fund, LAMP CHC, Ontario Trillium Foundation, TD Canada – Long Branch, and Canada Summer Jobs.
“The GARDENS mission is to engage the residents of South Etobicoke in community building and resolving issues regarding food security, unemployment, and education around healthy food choices.” – Monika Meulman, Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society (LEGS), and member of The GARDENS.
For more information about The GARDENS Pod Project, please visit our new website at www.gardenslakeshore.ca. Those interested in volunteering their time to support local gardens are encouraged to send an email to info@gardenslakeshore.ca.