A local community agriculture initiative, Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, exceeded 5,000 lbs of produce donated as of last Wednesday, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes announced.
The garden is in its second year of production, last year the final harvest total was 5,500 lbs. Currently the total is 5,944 lbs, and their goal is to double the amount harvested. All of the produce grown at Edwin Binney’s Community Garden is donated to 10 local food banks and 11 non-profit organizations.
United Way has recently started 3 pilot projects to deliver produce to clients in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton.
Through a collaboration with Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, called Garden at Your Table, produce from Edwin Binney’s Community Garden has been delivered directly to 50 clients in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
In addition, Fresh Produce Fridays, a pilot led by UWCKL delivers produce to three social housing units in Lindsay. An extension of this project in Haliburton is already in the works.
“Agency partnerships are critical to help people immediately in tough and unusual times,” writes Penny Barton Dyke, Executive Director of UWCKL.
“Edwin Binney’s Community Garden has many partners with each contributing and dovetailing to bring knowledge, land, access to products and the opportunity to bring fresh produce to kitchen tables. This is an agricultural and education project that is building sustainable practices and partnerships,” she adds.
To access programs, donate, or learn more about the work of UWCKL and Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, please visit ckl-unitedway.ca, email office@ckl.unitedway.ca or call (705) 878-5081
