Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Growing Together: The Power of Community Gardens

At our March Food Security Action Group meeting, Simona Freiberg shared their latest numbers and documentation from the Grey Bruce Community Garden Network.

In a world that often emphasizes individual success, the true strength of a community lies in its togetherness. Community gardens serve as a beautiful testament to the power of collaboration, fostering food security, wellness, and shared purpose. They are not just about growing food; they are about growing relationships, resilience, and hope.

Food Security Through Community Effort

Food security means having reliable access to sufficient, nutritious food. In community gardens, members take an active role in ensuring this security, cultivating fruits, vegetables, and herbs that nourish both body and spirit. Growing our own food fosters independence while reinforcing interdependence—when a neighbor needs support, the community is there to help. Watch this inspiring video on community gardening in Grey Bruce: Community Gardens Video

The Role of Each Member

Each person who participates in a community garden plays a vital role. Whether it’s planting, watering, harvesting, or sharing knowledge, every contribution strengthens the collective wellness of the group. In these shared spaces, the emphasis is on cooperation rather than competition. Unlike the isolation of individualism, community gardens promote unity, showing that we are always stronger together.

Healing Through Growth and Sharing

The act of planting and harvesting is deeply therapeutic. Gardening has been shown to reduce stress, improve mental health, and create a sense of fulfillment. The joy of watching seeds turn into nourishment reflects the potential for transformation—not just in the soil, but within our communities. Sharing the harvest further deepens the sense of belonging, reinforcing the idea that no one should go hungry when abundance exists within our collective hands.

Join the Movement: 2025 Garden Educational Workshops

To continue this journey of empowerment and sustainability, we invite you to take part in their 2025 Garden Educational Workshops. These workshops will offer hands-on learning experiences for both beginners and seasoned gardeners, covering topics such as soil health, sustainable practices, and efficient food production.

Together, we can cultivate a future where food security is a shared responsibility and our communities thrive through the bonds we build in the garden. For more details, contact Simona at simifreiberg@gmail.com.

Get Involved with the Community Garden Network

To further support and expand the impact of community gardens, explore the Grey Bruce Community Garden Network through The Sustainability Project. This initiative connects individuals and organizations, fostering knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and sustainability in community gardening efforts.

Please feel free to contact Simona with any questions, thoughts, or ideas you may have for Community Gardens. If you are interested in gathering some seeds for gardening, please reach out as there are plenty to share. If your organization is interested in starting a garden, Simona is always happy to share knowledge and collaborate when possible.

Simona’s Contact Details: simifreiberg@gmail.com

Community Foundation Grey Bruce Grant deadline is April 15, 2025.

Community Grants are an opportunity to support new or expanding projects and programs that improve the community vitality of Grey and Bruce Counties. Applications from eligible community service organizations of up to $5,000 will be considered. Applicants must either have a registered charitable number or be sponsored by an organization that is a CRA qualified done within Grey or Bruce County. Contact the office at 519-371-7203  to ensure your project is eligible for funding before filling out an application form or email foundation@cfgb.ca Criteria for Granting- https://cfgb.ca/grants/community/criteria/ https://www.communityfoundationgreybruce.com/grants/community

Robin Cork, Food Security Action Group Chair and Food Coordinator, United Way of Bruce Grey

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 62

Dear Colleagues, 

Temperatures have dropped and there is snow in Markdale! But there are still some warm messages of hope this week. 

  • Butterfly & Bee gardens are being planted around the region as part of the Butterfly Project. The Grey Bruce Community Garden Network Coordinator has even used canoes in Meaford in preparation for Pollinator’s Week.  
  • The Feeding Families, Restaurant Relief campaign continues to grow and provide meals daily that are being shared out across Grey Bruce. 
  • A new memorial monument and education plaque has been installed at Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound. In Potter’s Field, at least 1,242 vulnerable people were laid to rest without any visible marker. 
  • These people include hundreds of newborns/stillborn/toddlers, orphans, seniors, the working poor, the homeless and hundreds of members of Owen Sound’s black community including those who escaped on the Underground Railroad and their descendants. May they rest in peace. 

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SUPPORTS

HOUSING SUPPORTS

  • Giiwe and Indigenous Supportive Housing Support Program held a circle on May 21st. Partners joined together to learn from Elder Richard Assinewai who opened Giiwe with the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers or aadizookaan which reflects the Nibwaakaawin, “Good Way of Life” or native law. 
  • Giiwe has become a community and personal journey for partners. Grey County and Bruce County have supported it with funds to continue this journey.  Giiwe started with 12 partners and we now have over 100 partners at the table now. 
  • There is a Giiwe Model being built at Queen’s University. We are working with 3 different universities and soon to be a 4th. We have expanded to build bridges with Simcoe County and 2 First Nations. We were able to secure funding for the Indigenous Supportive Housing Program. This program has been critical under the pandemic response.

FOOD SECURITY SUPPORTS

  • Bruce Botanical Food Gardens has hired a new Gardens Manager Liz Miltonburg (gardenmanager@bbfg.org).  They are looking for volunteers to join their Board of Directors. If you are interested, submit a letter of interest to administrator@bbfg.org by June 17, 2021.
  • Correction – the Wiisinadaa/Let’s Eat Program correct email address is wiisinadaa@mwikwedong.com 
  • M’Wikwedong Wellness Garden Kits:  the Indigenous Health and Wellness Strategy Program (IHWS) is offering community garden box kits to enhance home gardens.  Register by calling or texting IHWS Program Coordinator, Tanya Coulter @ 519-372-7898. 
  • Feeding Families – Restaurant Relief: 30 restaurants made over 2,400 meals thanks to local donors who’ve contributed $36,000.  All of the food going to Owen Sound Hunger and Relief Effort is distributed to their clients and shared with other communities. .   
    • 100 meals went to YUM Program, South East Grey Meal (Markdale)  
    • 140 meals to CMHA to use across Grey Bruce
    • 140 meals to Salvation Army in Owen Sound
    • 50 meals to Port Elgin Salvation Army. 
    • 20 meals to Safe n’ Sound. 
    • 20 meals Chesley Baptist Church 
    • 20 meals to M’Wikwedong. 
  • Food security presentation to Southgate Council: Paul Wagenaar, UW Food Security Coordinator, Jill Umbach, Poverty Task Force and Barb Fedy spoke to Southgate Council about food security on May 5th. This was reported in the Toronto Star.  
  • They will present next to Chatsworth Council on June 2nd. 

ADDICTION SUPPORTS 

  • An OPIOID ALERT was released on May 23rd . Please share the alert.   
  • There have been 6 overdoses (non-fatal) in the past 3 days. This includes Owen Sound, Meaford and Kincardine, as well as Saugeen First Nation. There have also been 2 fatal overdoses in the past 2 weeks.   (Note: as of May 23rd).
  • Please alert any clients that use drugs of this high rate of overdoses. 

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

  • Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services: has created a new System Navigator position that will work with emergency departments when children show up while in the middle of a mental health crisis. There has been an increase in numbers of young people being seen in the 11 emergency rooms within our communities. The aim is to assign a child a clinician from Keystone within the first hour of them showing up for help in an ER
  • Mental Health and Addiction Peer Support (MAPS) is open for referrals from Probation and Parole at this time. Services offered: 
    • System navigation/facilitate the connection of support services.
    • Assist in the development of a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
    • Provide individual and group support.
    • Work with Probation and or Parole Officer to address the client’s needs upon referral.
    • Peer Support around mental health issues
    • Peer Support around substance use issues
    • Support connecting or engaging with basic needs.  
  • If you know of a peer that could benefit from this program, please direct them to speak to their Probation or Parole Officer. 

CHILD/YOUTH SUPPORTS

SAVE THE DATE: Next Poverty Task Force meeting is Friday, June 18th, 10am. 

Stay well, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 11

Dear Colleagues, 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, coordinating quick access to housing is more important than ever. Housing cures homelessness and is the best protection against COVID-19. The ability to protect and serve people experiencing homelessness is dependent on securing permanent, long-term housing. While the COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder of how vulnerable homeless people are in our community, it is also an opportunity to change, transform, and prioritize efforts to house people experiencing homelessness. 

As with all our emergency responses to meet basic needs, we are grateful for additional funds to solve short-term crisis issues but we know that investing in the economy, jobs and social assistance infrastructure needs to be at the forefront of all our COVID19 responses.  

  • We need to consider changes to precarious work practices i.e. PSW workers working several part-time jobs at low wage, grocery store clerks earning low wages, etc. We need to consider how today’s “heroes” are treated during the pandemic recovery period. 

We also know that abuse doesn’t stop during a pandemic. Unfortunately, it is likely that abuse worsens in isolation.  #HeretoHelpGB was launched and will continue to work with all partners to support vulnerable women and families. 

WOMEN’S SUPPORTS

  • In the past year, women’s shelters in the Grey Bruce Region (The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce Inc. and Women’s House Serving Bruce & Grey) served 1,549 women and managed 11,679 crisis, support, and advocacy calls. 
  • #HeretoHelpGB is a community collaboration of local social services working together to provide as much support as possible to women and children experiencing abuse and violence in Grey and Bruce counties during this difficult time.

HOUSING SUPPORTS 

  • The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) has developed a new COVID-19 resource, â€śGetting Back to Housing: How Canadian communities are adapting Coordinated Access to accelerate connections to permanent housing and build momentum to end homelessness once and for all.”  
  • This guide outlines realistic and practical approaches to help local communities adapt their homelessness response system to coordinate, activate, and accelerate housing opportunities during the pandemic. It digs into the key components of a housing-focused response including access, triage and assessment, prioritization, matching and referral, and other helpful tips—all with a COVID-19 lens. 
  • The Housing Action Group meets weekly to discuss homelessness outreach and response to housing challenges across Grey Bruce. Partners are dealing with a lot of eviction prevention and lack of vacancies in the area.  Noting that some motels have increased rents. 
  • Food delivery has been set up by partners (YMCA, OSHaRE, UW, Habitat for Humanity and Grey County) to reach people housed in motels.
  • The YMCA Housing has housed 74 people (382 nights of shelter) from 1 April to 30 April 2020. 
  • Federal and Provincial Housing Benefits have been topped up as of April 1st and Grey County and Bruce County Housing is working through their wait lists. 

INCOME SUPPORTS

  • Canada Child Benefit: families will receive a one-time additional payment of $300 per child. 
  • Social Services Emergency Benefit: effective Friday, May 1, the government will be extending the Emergency Benefit as a monthly benefit for three months (i.e. May, June and July 2020).  
  • The extended Emergency Benefit is intended to provide emergency financial support for special services, items or payments to address health and safety issues related to COVID-19 to social assistance benefit units not in receipt of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). 
  • Recipients who have received the March/April Emergency Benefit and who qualify for the extended benefit will automatically receive the extended benefit in May, June, and July.
  • Exception: Consistent with the treatment of earned income for youth under 18, adults in full-time secondary school, and full-time post-secondary students, the CERB will be treated as fully exempt for these benefit unit members. These CERB payments will not impact eligibility for the Emergency Benefit. 
  • New Emergency Benefit applicants will need to request the benefit and outline their COVID-19 related needs. It will not be issued proactively.  
  • While verification of costs is not required, caseworkers should use their discretion to confirm that clients are facing extraordinary expenses before issuing the benefit.  The type of expense will need to be recorded. Examples of these expenses include: PPE, cleaning supplies for those who have a household member who is COVID19+ , delivery costs of food, medical supplies, etc. while self-isolated or quarantined, travel costs to pick up essentials.
  • Clients will be asked to provide information on their need for the benefit. A flat monthly rate of $100 for singles and $200 for families may be issued to all eligible benefit units. 

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

A Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System, was launched which offers access to standardized, high-quality care and supports in communities across Ontario.

Child and Youth Mental Health Day (May 7th): the government has given additional funding to programs such BounceBack and Kids Help Phone.  

SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS

Alison Govier has compiled many resourceson the Community Drug & Alcohol Strategy website.  

Wellness Together Canada, is a new online portal that provides Canadians with free resources, tools, and professional support services to help with wellness and resilience, as well as mental health and substance use.  

Addiction Services at CMHA Grey Bruce remains open, providing services online, over the phone and in some cases face-to-face. Group programming is canceled until further notice. 

The Rapid Assessment & Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic & the Withdrawal Management Program at Grey Bruce Health Services remain open to clients at this time. Call (519) 376-3999.

The Methadone Clinic (Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre) in Owen Sound remains open, with social distancing measures in place. Call 1-877-937-2282 or 519-371-0007.

The Needle Exchange and Naloxone Distribution at Grey Bruce Public Health remain open. Harm Reduction supplies can also be obtained at GB Works Needle Syringe Program locations across the counties. 

Some Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings have moved to online platform. AA – http://aa-intergroup.org/directory.php NA – https://georgianheartlandna.org/

For professional cessation support for smoking or vaping, call the Smoker’s Help line at 1-877-513-5333 or visit Smoker’s Help line website.

Talk Tobacco is an Indigenous Program to Quit smoking and Vaping through Smoker’s Helpline:  For help and information on quitting smoking, and vaping and commercial tobacco use call 1 833 998-8255 (TALK).

FOOD SUPPORTS

Food Security Action Group: 15 members of the group met on Friday, May 1st to discuss distribution logistics, challenges and management of food banks, community meal programs and community gardens. The group shall meet biweekly via zoom. The next meeting is Friday, May 15th, 10am-11:30am. 

Community Meal Program: while we have seen a steady flow of people visiting food banks, a significant demand for community meal programs has seen 12,053 meals served from March 15th to May 1st, 2020 – a 297% increase compared to pre-pandemic meals. The United Way BG has compiled a snapshot from just 5 programs but we know that there are other meal programs that have contributed hundreds more. 

Digital Community Plant Sale: under COVID19, we are seeing garden centres open up and people are being encouraged to grow food at home. The Meaford Community Gardens grows organic food for the local food bank – Golden Town Outreach. They have gone online with a Seedling Plant Sale with delivery service. 

The Federal government announced today they will be bulk purchasing food to distribute to food banks to support the food and agriculture industry. 

Stay well,  Jill

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Advocacy, Food Security Action Group, Poverty Task Force

Respect, validation & listening: Fall Food Gathering 2018

Food Security and Mental Health
Alison Govier and Dave Roy from CMHA-GB shared with us mental health strategies, data, services and programs in Grey Bruce.

Our 2nd Annual Grey Bruce Fall Food Gathering on September 20th brought together food system players to connect, collaborate, share, and learn.

The Grey Bruce Sustainability Network and the Food Security Action Group of the Poverty Task Force focused this year’s event on the intersections between food, mental health, and the environment.

People with mental health experiences are members of our family and community therefore we all have a role to play in mental health. “The problem is the problem – not the person.” shared Dave Roy of CMHA-Grey Bruce.  “We need to respect, validate and listen to people.”

It is important that people come to our community food hubs and know that they have been heard.   While Dave Roy and Alison Govier shared with us Where to Begin with mental health services and programs in Grey Bruce – they also helped to “de-expert” our roles.

A rapid fire sharing sessions highlighted the work of several community food centres – Bruce Botanical Gardens in Ripley,  The Salvation’s Army’s Community Hub in Wiarton and the Walkerton & District Food Bank.  Creative and practical ideas were shared on second harvesting, engagement with super markets, fresh food purchase and distribution; food/plant education, local stewardship of plants and community engagement.

The afternoon session was a hands-on visit to the CMHA-GB Community Food Forest and Gardens in Owen Sound. The Food Forest has been a community hub for 4 years. It includes a fruit orchard, some 130 raised garden beds for vegetables, herbs and other edible plants and a new edible labyrinth. CMHA Grey Bruce employs 12 clients as gardeners and they help plant, tend and harvest the crops. The fruit and vegetables are sold at local markets and used in a community brunch program that provides nutritional meals to about 60 people daily, Monday to Friday.  A special thank you to Teresa Pearson and Thomas Dean for the educational tour and our lunch which was provided by their Fresh Roots Cafe and Catering with produce from the gardens.

The Poverty Task Force’s 2018 Election Education campaign was shared and members were encouraged to ensure food security-related data captured in From Bandaids-to-Bridges: moving forward with Community Food Centres is raised with municipal candidates. The creation of a new Agri-Asset Map for Grey County now includes the the Grey Bruce Food Security Assets data and people are encouraged to ensure they are on the map!

A long list of collaborative ideas were generated. The final commentary for the day centered on the need and support for these kinds of gatherings even more often than once-a-year. It was noted that the Food Security Action Group of the Poverty Task Force meets monthly and would be a good place for anyone interested in these issues to attend.