Being the Change

Here are four urban stories that I read in the last few months in the Toronto Metro newspaper that are a part of the new story that we are creating.

The most recent one was about a group called Not Not Far From The Tree, a Toronto organization that harvests fruit from urban trees and bushes.   Not Far From The Tree was founded in 2008 when the founder noticed the amount of fruit falling from trees that was wasted or became food for raccoons.   Apples, pears, cherries, service berries, sumac, grapes, apricots, elderberries and other fruit that homeowners can’t keep up with are picked.

Their website is the place that connects homeowners, volunteers and local community organizations that distribute food. This fruit picking project splits the harvest between volunteers, homeowners, local food banks, shelters and community kitchens.

Volunteers pick fruit 

 Not Far From The Tree’s website states that they are inspired by “the spirit of sharing, the desire to give back to our community, and a passion for environmentally sustainable living.”  This innovative group has harvested nearly 13,000 lbs of fruit so far.

Another urban gardening project that caught my eye was the Grow Potatoes program that is asking people to grow potatoes in containers in their yards or balconies to donate to Ottawa shelters for the homeless.  You can read more about this project on the Just Food website under Soldiers-Helping-Soldiers (SHS).

Coordinated by retired Sergeant Dannelle Gauthier the website gives instructions on how to grow 100 lbs of potatoes in planters, garbage bags or other containers. 

Potatoes are among the biggest expense in soup kitchens. The average Ottawa one uses around 120 lbs. a day.  The Shepherds of Good Hope go through 15,000 lbs every year.  Since they are inexpensive to grow and store well SHS hopes to harvest 40,000 lbs. by Sept. 17^th. 

Just Food’s Community Garden Network Coordinator Jordan Bouchard said, “We are supporting this project as it increases awareness about food insecurity among homeless people, while also encouraging a team approach within the community to grow fresh food for those who need it most.”  Just Food’s mission is “to work towards vibrant, just and sustainable food and farming systems in the Ottawa region.”

Soldiers Helping Soldiers is a volunteer organization that “seeks to connect homeless veterans with the services and benefits to which they are entitled.”   Grow Potatoes is a collaboration between SHS, Just Food and the City of Ottawa. 

In March I read a story about a group of families in Ottawa who decided to tap the maple trees in their yard and in their neighbours` yards and make maple syrup.  They reported that people stopped to talk to them as they gathered the sap, which made it a positive community experience.  It is estimated that there are around 16,000 sugar maples in Ottawa.  Technically it is illegal to bore holes in city trees but if the community decided to amend that law, imagine what they could produce.

A fourth story comes out of the Rocky Ridge Royal Oak community in Calgary.  Volunteer drivers will pledge to go the speed limit or drive for the conditions at all times in their cars adorned with “Community Pace Car” logos.  The Community Pace Car program has been successful so far in other parts of Canada.

Right now the Calgary one is in the pilot project phase but if it is found to be successful, it can be expanded to other neighbourhoods in that city.  There has been lots of interest because the program allows people to take action to create safer neighbourhoods.   Apparently, the stickers actually change people’s driving behaviour through good example.  The program raises awareness especially in school zones and where there is a lot of pedestrian traffic.

The program is detailed on the Parachute website.  Parachute is a national, charitable organization formed by the unification of Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada in 2012.

Parachute awards grants of $1000 to Pace Car Communities to help promote the program.  This year`s recipients were Alberton, PEI, Assiniboia, SK, Stratford, PEI, Sherbrooke, PQ and Vernon, BC.  The website gives all the information needed to start up this program in your own community.

All of these stories are about ordinary people connecting with each other to make their communities better places to live, through very ordinary activities like growing and sharing food and driving responsibly.  These programs allow people to do something positive and create change by setting a good example.  The people who are participating in them are being the change they want to see.  They are writing their own story.  They are writing our new story.