NEWS RELEASE
URBAN PANTRY
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On Friday, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) welcomed participants and volunteers to a potluck lunch at the newly-constructed wellness garden to celebrate the Urban Pantry program.
The event celebrated the impact that a three-year, $527,100 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2017 has had on new community gardens, community cooking classes, and the expansion of the Barrie Good Food Box program, delivered by Urban Pantry.
OTF volunteer Allan Craig and Keeragh Robertson from MPP Doug Downey’s constituency office congratulated participants and volunteers and heard more on how increased access to fresh foods and food skills are making a difference in the community.
“This is a terrific program that provides so many different benefits to our constituents,” said Downey, MPP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte. “Fresh and healthy food is an essential factor for living a healthy lifestyle, learning food skills builds confidence and independence, and working in these gardens builds relationships and strengthens our community spirit. I greatly appreciate the Urban Pantry project and look forward to another great year of its benefits in our community.”
In addition to the wellness garden, four community gardens were installed in Barrie parks and community housing.
The three-year OTF Grow grant is providing funding for a total of seven community gardens, weekly community cooking classes, and the expansion of the Barrie Good Food Box program.
The grant is helping with costs involving staffing, creating the actual gardens, providing supplies and equipment for the programs, and food handling training. Thanks to Ontario Trillium Foundation, people of Barrie will be able to access fresh food, garden plots, cooking skills, and gardening skills.
"The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant is immense,” said Lynne Raimondi, Manager of Resource Development, Stewardship and Special Events at CMHA. “This grant has allowed for improved access to fresh food and community gardens throughout our city. There are incredible benefits including better physical and mental health; strong community connections and partnerships; and an increased knowledge of food and gardening skills.”
Urban Pantry is committed to empowering community members through gardening and cooking workshops, food handler certification training, and access to affordable fresh produce.
If you wish to enquire about any of these programs, please visit the website at: https://www.urbanpantrybarrie.com/. The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations.
OTF awarded more than $108 million to 629 projects this year to build healthy and vibrant Ontario communities.
For more information, please visit www.otf.ca.
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