Victory Gardens to Fight Poverty in Hamilton

Our volunteer Bill Wilcox is out to fight poverty in Hamilton. How is he doing it? By planting victory gardens of course!
Here's what he writes (in edited form):

We know of some individuals and/or families of Hamilton's marginalized community, wherein one (1) in four (4) children live at or below the poverty line, compared to the national average of one (1) in nine (9) children. 

I am sure you have heard of the upcoming explosion in food prices have affected others globally and that is expected here in Canada over the next few months. Those who will be affected the most by these price hikes are the folks who are having difficulty making ends meet at the present time. Christ called us “to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)....

 I am proposing a new opportunity for us to be witnesses to the marginalized community in our area---our own "Jerusalem”--in a way which will help to provide fresh produce at a time when the need for food is increasing daily.

After receiving the Lord’s vision of a mission in Hamilton (our Jerusalem), I spent time, over the past four summers, helping to organize and manage the West Highland Baptist Church’s “Victory Garden” – a ministry wherein fresh produce is grown and harvested by a group of volunteers, and then donated to the numerous food banks and soup kitchens in the Hamilton area.

I believe that now is the time to “grow” (pun intended!) this concept – via what I call “Hamilton Victory Gardens”. This is envisioned to be a number of Victory Gardens throughout Hamilton and area which will be developed over the next few years in order to expand the availability of fresh produce to the numerous food banks and soup kitchens in operation.  These gardens would be operated by groups of volunteers from the churches, the general community and, hopefully and most importantly, by folks from the marginalized community (the ultimate produce consumers).

I am proposing an initial organizing meeting to take place on Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at James Street Baptist Church at 96 James Street South here in Hamilton. 

Bill Wilcox

for Hamilton Victory Gardens