Harvest of HOPE
A volunteer-driven community garden harvesting farm-fresh product for families across Guelph.
Thanks to support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, HOPE House is able to operate a market garden at Ignatius Jesuit Centre. Led by our Community Farmer who applies a permaculture approach, volunteer and community members plant, weed and harvest fresh produce for our Food Market and for distribution to other food security agencies across Guelph.
Food security is a human right. Unfortunately, 1 in 7 people struggle with food insecurity according to a Statistics Canada study conducted in May 2020.
Harvest of HOPE is an initiative working to make good food more accessible in our community.
What is Harvest of HOPE?
Each year, Harvest of HOPE puts incredible fresh fruit and vegetables on people’s plates across the city of Guelph.
Harvest of HOPE helps families escape food insecurity through important initiatives like:
- Our HOPE House Food market, a choice-based pantry program that provides community members with fresh food and other household essentials.
- Edu-Kitchen workshops, where community members can learn practical cooking skills and recipes that empower them to eat more healthily and make nutritious meals for their families.
- Other local service providers through our HOPE in Motions delivery vehicles, which distribute surplus produce from Harvest of HOPE to touchpoints at all different corners of Guelph.
What is Food Insecurity?
A person is “food insecure” when they have inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial circumstances. It does not mean they have no access to food, but that they lack the means to afford healthy, nutritious meals on a day-to-day basis.
Here in Guelph, many of our neighbours depend on more cost-effective food options with less nutritional value to feed their families. Not only does this mean they consume fewer fruits and vegetables, and other important sources of vitamins and minerals, it also puts them at a greater risk of health problems like obesity, mental health cerns and chronic illness.
As a community, we can all help to ensure that every family has access to fresh nutritious food that fuels healthy bodies and minds.
