Putting healthy food on the table is a struggle for many households in our community.
Inflation, supply chain issues, and global uncertainty are making it harder to purchase healthy and affordable food. Last year it cost the average family in Calgary an additional $220 for groceries every month, with that number rising throughout 2022.
Our friends at The Alex Community Food Centre are actively working to create solutions, conversations, and community around healthy food and food creation. That’s why they’ve launched the Common Ground gardening project, which puts the power of gardening into the hands of anyone in the greater Forest Lawn area.
Growing a garden is often associated with having access to a plot of land. Common Ground offers container gardens designed to be used in small spaces for residents of the greater Forest Lawn area. The initiative also provides seeds and learning resources to help green thumbs of all levels find success.
According to project coordinator Leanne Cripps, “Food access is just one piece of it. Wellness, being connected to the land, seeing things grow, and doing it as part of a community is so important to the program.”
There will be more Common Ground events at The Alex Community Food Centre in Forest Lawn throughout the spring and summer. For more information on Common Ground, you can email LCripps@thealex.ca, and to learn more about the food-focused programs at the Alex, you can visit their website.
Common Ground is just one of many initiatives running out of The Alex CFC. From youth-oriented programs and cooking classes to budgeting workshops and Indigenous teachings, staff and volunteers provide a community-focused approach to programming. As Calgary continues to emerge from the pandemic, The Alex CFC provides a safe space for residents to gather, seek advice and services, share a meal or learn.
The Alex CFC is part of the Community Hubs initiative, proudly supported by United Way and The City of Calgary. Located in five Calgary neighbourhoods, Community Hubs works with numerous organizations and programs to ensure that all the support and services are provided.