Niagara Community Garden Network makes United Way Niagara their official home

Niagara region, ON – Food security – defined as the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food – along with reliable housing, health care, job security, and positive relationships are crucial for a person to enjoy good quality of life. As COVID-19 presses on, food insecurity in Niagara is climbing at an alarming rate and unfortunately over 50,000 people in Niagara experience food insecurity every day. Though food insecurity can affect anyone, it disproportionately affects minorities, specifically immigrants, indigenous, and those with a family history of poverty.

United Way Niagara is proud to announce that as of October 1, the Niagara Community Garden Network will make United Way Niagara their official home. With over 700 garden plots in municipalities across Niagara available for the use of their community members, United Way’s hope is to expand the ability to grow one’s own fruits and vegetables, improve access to food and enhance sharing and food literacy. The Network provides tools, access to water, seeds, seedlings and other resources necessary for vulnerable people to create their own flourishing garden and put more power in the hands of those struggling to maintain regular access to healthy foods.

Food insecurity can mean not knowing where your next meal is going to come from, skipping meals due to costs, or lack of access to nutritious food and resorting to insufficient meals regularly. The lack of proper nutrition can hugely impact a person in their daily lives.

“We are so excited to have the garden network as part of the United Way family. With all of the work we are doing to improve food security, it is a perfect fit. We want to see a food secure Niagara and this is part of the solution” says Frances Hallworth, Executive Director. “Increasing access to healthy food is only part of what the garden network does. There is so much more. Gardens are important community hubs where people also learn, experiment, share, connect and develop self-sufficiency.”

“The community gardens in Niagara are such important hubs for their communities, providing people the space, tools, resources and supports to grow their own food. We are so thrilled to have the partnership and support of United Way Niagara so we can continue to support these gardens and provide positive solutions to food security in the region.” – Erin Riseing, Program Coordinator for Niagara Community Garden Network

Learn more about the Niagara Community Garden Network