We’re digging our hands into the dirt at Forward Housing! We’re proud to announce we have officially launched a comprehensive gardening program for three of our buildings. One of the first gardening initiatives of its kind in the affordable housing sector, this program’s expansion is thanks to a grant awarded by the Calgary Foundation in January 2022.

Joshua Hebb, the founder of Hands-On Growing, donated his time to come in and teach our tenants about hydroponics in 2021. Joshua is back as our official partner and is ready to help this program flourish. Learn more about Hands-On Growing

On March 17^th, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in a “green” way by hosting an event to introduce our new program, teach valuable skills to our tenants, and (of course) have fun. An educational seminar followed by a family-friendly seed planting activity had all our tenants excited about the future of their garden, which will consist of 10 full-size garden boxes complete with greenhouse toppers to extend the growing season. Inside, hydroponic towers will each produce $1500 of fresh produce annually. Educational sessions, events, and activities supplement the program and promote community-building.

Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post, where we explore all the benefits of community gardening for individuals living in affordable housing.