Canadian ICMIF member, The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, Ontario’s largest farm mutual, has once again reaffirmed its commitment to giving back to the communities it serves through its ‘SEEDit’ programme.
As of Wednesday 1 May 2024, the Commonwell invited people across Ontario to register for vouchers to use in garden centres to buy seeds and other essential items with which to grow fruits and vegetables at home to both eat and share with neighbours, the local community and food banks.
The SEEDit programme will provide Ontarians with a record 5,500 CAD 50 individual garden centre vouchers this year. The programme aims to help residents get their home gardens growing and provide an ‘organic’ way for them to share a bounty of produce with their communities This year, the Commonwell says it is also expanding to the Commonwell country areas in Southwestern Ontario.
“With the cost-of-living crunch and rising food prices impacting the food security of Ontarians, we felt it was an ideal time to expand the SEEDit program to a record 5,500 CAD 50 vouchers,” said Tim Shauf, President and CEO of The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group. “This is a tangible way for Ontarians to feed themselves fresh, healthy produce and share their bounty with local foodbanks, and neighbours.”
The SEEDit programme also has a highly engaged Facebook group of 5600 aspiring gardeners that provide both practical and personal advice to each other to build a bumper crop.
About SEEDit
SEEDit was started by The Commonwell in 2021 to help people keep busy during continued lockdowns and increased food insecurity. The company says it is proudly continuing the programme, now in in its fourth year, because families across the province still struggle with food insecurity, high costs of living and they want to become more self-sufficient. The Commonwell’s roots in farming inspire it to educate their communities on backyard agriculture and the mutual spirit of working together to fight food insecurity.
Since 2021, The Commonwell estimates 50,000lbs (approx. 22,679 kg) of produce has been shared in Ontario communities thanks to the programme.
