M.I.N.D. Garden Update: Meet Amanda

One of the strong beliefs of Sparrow is that everyone, no matter how much money they have, should be able to have access to healthy veggies. This desire is one we have for the residents of Toronto Housing in Warden Woods in particular. For the last two years we have been helping to support a charity kitchen there called M.I.N.D.

We know everything we grow is chemical free and local. It is kissed by the sun, and fed by the soil. This year without farmland we were unsure how we could support the M.I.N.D. community. We had plenty of baby plants, seeds gallore, but no place to put them. Thankfully a couple small backyards opened up, so we were able to plant some things there and then the community garden at the M.I.N.D. building opened up in June. They asked if we could plant some things there as well.

When we began the kitchen garden for M.I.N.D. we had no idea how it would do. We knew it could be a help to the kitchen but we were unsure how often we would be able to tend it and what would end up actually growing. We just knew that it was better to plant since we had the plants and seeds and they had the space.

On the day we were planting, there was a woman who knew her way around the garden. She has become such an amazing help to M.I.N.D. and us since she comes to tend the garden pretty much every day. Her name is Amanda. Her father lives at the Warden Woods building and she comes to visit. At the same time she pulls weeds, harvests veggies, builds raised beds and plans for next year.

Because of Covid-19 she has been unable to work and probably still won't for another month or so. Instead of just watching Netflix at home, Amanda rolled up her sleeves and gardens for the good of others.

This year has been difficult for so many of us, Sparrow Gardens included, but because of it we have been able to connect with some wonderful people like Amanda. Thanks Amanda for all of your hard work!