Food bank and volunteers to take advantage of Garden of Hope benefits

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In the most unlikely of places: a vacant lot between a daycare center and a fire station on a Roxboro shopping street, a community garden is thriving.

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Rows of pods in which grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, squash, herbs and fruits are tended by both experienced hands and novice gardeners. The 200 round fabric capsules, the size of a rain barrel cut in half, will supply about 30 low-income households, single-parent families and garden volunteers with fresh produce. Surplus produce goes to baskets for the West Island Relief Fund (WIAF) food bank.

This is the second year for WIAF’s Garden of Hope, located on the site of its former office building, which burned down in 2019. With space restrictions lifted by COVID-19, more modules have been added this year .

“We are expanding to include more low-income families who might live in apartments or their own house and don’t have space for a garden,” said garden coordinator Navdisha Sandhu. “But we want to work with anyone who has young children, because as much as we want to combat food insecurity, we also want to get more kids involved in gardening.”

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Alaa Aldana is a busy mother from Roxboro with three children ages 3, 7 and 9. She first noticed the garden on the way to school and her children asked if they could “visit”.

“We live in an apartment and we don’t have any experience with garden plants, so my daughters were very excited and had a lot of questions,” Aldana said. “They love to water the plants. They know that some need a little water and others need more. When we have extra time, we go to the garden.”

Sandhu said volunteers don’t have to make a summer commitment: “We want them to come, but when it comes to specific days or times, we’re very flexible.”

Pauline Edward is a first time volunteer. As a retired Roxboro resident, she found out about the garden too late last year and rushed to sign up this summer. “It’s a godsend and a replacement for my beautiful garden when I had my bungalow,” said Edward, who now lives in a condominium.

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Edward used to grow herbs for homemade teas and balms. The community garden will include microgreens and wild edible plants this year and Edward will demonstrate how to prepare them. “Nature is so magical, everything we need is there,” he said.

Ground pods make gardening easier according to Sandhu: “The pods sit on pallets, the water drains off so you can’t accidentally drown your plants, there’s no soil contamination, and you can move the pods if the plants aren’t happy. like not getting enough sunlight.”

Some volunteers, like Edward, have gardening experience. “I know there are grandmothers and grandfathers who would love to get their hands in the dirt,” he said.

Sandhu emphasized that experience is not necessary: ​​”All people need is a desire to learn and time to spend in the garden.”

the WIAF is a nonprofit community organization working to eliminate food insecurity on West Island and runs a food bank while supporting initiatives that encourage wellness and self-sufficiency.

The garden is located at 9 Centre-Commercial St. in Roxboro and is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays. For more information, email [email protected] or ask your Facebook page.