Chilliwack local receives support for free gardening initiative

CHILLIWACK — A group of residents are looking to tackle food insecurity with another free gardening event after receiving some help from the Vancouver Foundation’s Neighbourhood Small Grant.

The organization has granted Chilliwack local Debbie Walker an NSG for the Oasis Gardening Initiative run with Gary Moran of Fantasy Farms, which provides agricultural education to children ages 5 to 12.

“Every single dollar donated helps me and Fantasy Farms continue to provide the education necessary to garner interest from the littles to support food security in homes throughout the Fraser Valley,” said Walker.

NSGs are grants of up to $500 that support community-minded projects that help people gather or share skills with each other.

“Growing Together”, the pair’s popular gardening program, provides kids with supplies to start their own vegetable patch, including starter vegetables, gloves, recycled plastic pots and more.

“Gardening does not have to be expensive, and teaching them to find ways to give a second life to single-use plastics is yet another life skill,” she added. “We’re doing our part to reduce plastic going to the landfill and can be reutilized again and again.”

“Radish Your Vegetables”, the next youth growing event, is set to run from 9:30 a.m. to noon on July 18 at Fantasy Farms.

Youth and guardians interested in participating must register their names by emailing gardeninginitiative@gmail.com.