The new retail centre in the Backyard Neighbourhood Condos community has officially broken ground at 150 Berry Road in Etobicoke. For a detailed video of the opening, please click on the following link.
News
Give the Gift of Good Food to Local Families this Holiday Season
"It's the gift that keeps on giving." Charmaine, a Stonegate resident and single mother of three, isn't talking about the latest toy on holiday shelves, but a box overflowing with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. She is one of hundreds of recipients of Stonegate Community Health Centre's Good Food Box Holiday Drive. The Drive, now in its seventh year, provides a Good Food Box to community individuals and families struggling to put healthy food on the table.
Charmaine prepares the produce in a myriad of ways, including cut up fruits for snacks, vegetable dishes and delicious soups. With the opportunity to demonstrate healthy cooking to her young children, she says the box "makes a world of difference".
The Good Food Box is a non-profit fresh fruit and vegetable system operated by FoodShare, Toronto. FoodShare buys produce directly from the Ontario Food Terminal and Ontario farmers and distributes to dropoff locations throughout the city. Stonegate CHC, located in the Park Lawn/Queensway neighbourhood, is one of the busiest, says Julia Graham, Community Food Program Coordinator at the Centre.
With an estimated 28% of families and 38% of children living below the poverty line in the area immediately surrounding the Centre, food security is a major concern. The Centre's health team identifies families whose health is being jeopardized by poor access to healthy food. "Given the cost of rent, people living on social assistance or working a lower wage job often have no money left over for food," says Graham.
When the program began, 80 clients were referred to receive a Good Food Box. Last year the number grew to almost 300. In 2014, residents lost their last walkable access to food with the demolition of Stonegate Plaza to make way for a condominium development. While Stonegate CHC provides resources including a mobile food market and organized bus trips to a grocery store, these measures don't fill the gap. Many community members rely on the 3 times a month Food Bank at Christ Church St. James.
Thanks to generous donors, the fundraising goal has been met and exceeded each year. 300 boxes will be distributed to Stonegate CHC clients as well as clients of the local Food Bank. Any additional funds raised will be put towards 'market bucks' for food insecure clients at the Centre-run Farmer's Market. "100% of donations go towards providing fresh healthy food for those in need," says Graham.
$18 buys a local family in need a large size Good Food box, $50 buys boxes for three families, while $100 buys boxes for 6 families. Donations can be made by contacting Julia Graham at 416.231.7070 ext. 229 or online.
Annual General Meeting
Stonegate Community Association cordially invites you
to our Annual General Meeting
Saturday September 17th, 2016 at 1:30pm
Stonegate Community Health Centre, 150 Berry Road
Light refreshments will be served at 2:30 pm, where we will have a Children Martial Arts presentation.
Before the meeting, join us for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the mural at Bell Manor (Banana) Park at 1 Bayside Lane at 1:00 pm.
Be Well: A Survey of Your Welling
Stonegate CHC would like to learn more about what keeps you healthy and well. The Be Well is a voluntary, confidential survey and will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
By completing this survey you will help us gain a better understanding of :
- how to support the best health and wellbeing for everyone in our community.
- how we can plan our services and supports to strengthen community health and well-being.
Please follow the link below to complete.
http://fluidsurveys.com/s/Stonegate-CHC-BeWell-Survey/
Summer Camp at Stonegate CHC
Summer Adventure Camp for children 6 to 12 years of age will take place at St Marks School Monday to Thursday from July 4th to August 18th from 10:00 - 3:00 pm.
Contact 416-231- 7070 extension 307 to register your child starting June 8th.
Stonegate Video Celebrates Magic of the Community Garden
Surrounded by a vibrant and colourful array of flowers, berries, vegetables and herbs, nine women take turns explaining what draws them to their community garden.
“Being here grounds me.” “I learned to garden from my grandparents and now I can teach my children.” “The food is fresh and delicious.” “It gives me a purpose.” “Here, we’re like one big family.”
In the short video on Bell Manor Community Garden recently launched by Stonegate Community Health Centre, Welcome to Bell Manor Community Garden the gardeners describe many different benefits but one common theme: the community garden is a magical place.
Located in the Stonegate/Park Lawn community, Bell Manor Park serves as the backyard and open, green space to several thousand residents living in the 75 low-rise apartment buildings in the surrounding neighbourhood. Nestled in a corner of the park is Bell Manor Community Garden, started over 25 years ago by Stonegate Community Health Centre. Today, with over 30 plots provided free of charge to gardeners without access to their own land, the Garden is an integral part of the Centre’s Community Food Program.
“Many of our residents live on fixed or low incomes. Providing the opportunity to grow their own fresh, healthy food is often a necessity, not a luxury”, says Julia Graham, Community Food Program Coordinator.
In recent years, the Garden has served an even greater need. The local Valu-Mart, which provided the only walkable access to fresh food in the community, was closed two years ago to make way for condominiums. To help fill the gap, the Centre provides a range of food programs along with the Community Garden, including the seasonal Stonegate Farmer’s Market, the weekly Mobile Food Market, the Good Food Box, and more.
Graham says that thanks to generous funders, the Centre provides other assistance to gardeners where possible through donations of seedlings and equipment, along with regular educational workshops on saving seeds, container gardening, and food preparation that are open to the community. “We’re hoping to have additional donations this year to pay for raised beds, additional tools and garden bus tours.”
The Bell Manor Community gardeners hope that the video, which was funded through TD Friends of the Environment, will raise awareness of the importance of community gardens to health and wellbeing.
As Jean, one of the video participants, aptly sums up about her garden, “it gives me great joy”.