REGINA — Grow Hope SK is an ecumenical partnership between the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and six other agencies, designed to connect local churches and farmers and make an impact on global hunger.
One of those agencies is Alongside Hope (formerly PWRDF), the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for relief and development worldwide.
In August, two staff members from Alongside Hope spent four days in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, visiting Grow Hope SK farms and sharing information about the organization’s work.
Kim Umbach, volunteer co-ordinator for Alongside Hope, and Sarah Bird, the youth engagement co-ordinator, attended two Field Days, where members of the public are invited to farms to learn about local agriculture.
At each event, they staffed an information booth for Grow Hope SK.
Farmers volunteer their land and their labour to grow crops and donate the proceeds to Grow Hope SK. Donors raise money to pay for seed, fertilizer and other input costs. Last year, farmers and supporters raised more than $326,000 through a combination of crop sales and acre sponsorships. The Government of Canada matches donations to the Foodgrains Bank, up to four times.
At Creekridge Farms, near Yorkton, Josh, Janelle and Richard Prybylski are raising canola for Grow Hope SK. Umbach and Bird, along with Bishop Helen and Stephen Kennedy, attended the Field Day on Aug. 8, where they toured the livestock and crop operations of the farm and saw displays of farming equipment and the crops grown at Creekridge Farms.
This field day was part of Saskatchewan Open Farm Days, an initiative to connect community members with farm families to build a better understanding of farming and food production in Saskatchewan.
“It was so nice to enjoy the hospitality of the Prybylski family and meet so many folks from Saskatchewan who are longtime supporters of Grow Hope Saskatchewan,” says Umbach. “There are several parishes supporting this project, but we can always use more!”
The next day, Umbach and Bird attended the Bruno Cherry Festival and answered questions at an information booth, teaming up with Michael LeBlanc, a representative of Development and Peace, Caritas Canada.
Alongside Hope is looking at the feasibility of working with other Grow Hope SK members to offer local learning tours, giving people from urban communities the opportunity to explore food security issues and further understand how crops grown in Saskatchewan support conservation agriculture projects around the world through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and its members.
Six agencies make up Grow Hope Saskatchewan, representing Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans, Mennonites, Presbyterians and Roman Catholics.
You can get involved!
Your parish can raise funds to sponsor acres for Grow Hope SK. Alongside Hope is also looking for parishes who would be interested in learning more about the organization and ways to bring it into your church. For more information, contact Alongside Hope’s volunteer co-ordinator, Kim Umbach, at [email protected].