Green Venture is a partner of Giving Tuesday, the international day of generosity happening on November 30, 2021.
Every Tuesday this month, we’ll be catching up with Green Venture staff to highlight some of our programs that would not be possible without the support of our donors and sponsors.
Today we’re catching up with our Manager of Green Infrastructure Programs, Miranda, and our Garden Programs Coordinator, Sheila!
What’s your role at Green Venture?
If you follow Green Venture (which you should!) you’ve probably seen me at a variety of events with my dog Jerry! I’m the Program Manager for Green Infrastructure, which covers a lot of what we do at Green Venture. I get to help install rain totes through NATURhoods or tear up pavement with Depave Paradise, or plant a tiny forest with Canopy for Community. My job is a little bit of everything – which is awesome!
Tell us why your programs are important!
We’d be here all day if I listed all the reasons! But a little cliff notes version – keeping our waterways clean, combating climate change, making our communities beautiful, and connecting to nature are some of my personal favourites and what keeps me motivated to provide these services in Hamilton.
Who would you recommend your programs to?
What I LOVE about the NATURhoods program is appealing to everyone. We have volunteers that love to get their hands dirty and plant trees or support us through rain barrels and plant sales. Big or small there’s something you will fall in love with!
NATURhoods Rebate Participant’s Front Yard Rain Garden
Any program milestones?
2021 was BUSY! We launched our NATURhoods rebate program and helped residents across Hamilton neighbourhoods install rain gardens and rock swales! This was amazing since we have never offered a rebate program for green infrastructure. It was so cool to see the unique designs homeowners came up with. Our RAIN Coach set them all up for success with a design workshop and one-on-one consults, but these residents got creative and came up with beautiful projects that I got to check out! We’ll be doing a ‘Class of 2021’ blog – you’ll have to check it out soon!
What are you looking forward to in 2022?
Stay tuned for more workshops, rain garden rebates in 2022, a native plant of the month subscription, and opportunities to get your hands dirty and help us build these projects!
What’s your role at Green Venture?
Helping people grow. Through our garden programs we facilitate the sharing of resources and knowledge that help support community gardening.
Tell us why your program is important!
Providing people with the knowledge and resources to grow their own food is a great skill. Gardens are important to the planet because they connect us with our natural environment. They also bring pollinators to our yards and build togetherness within a community. Gardening is important for nutrition, your frame of mind, and environmental footprint.
What excites you most about your work?
Planting a seed, seeing it grow and then eating it is always magical but my favorite part is sharing the harvest with family, friends, and our community.
Grow a Row Donation
What’s a common misconception about the projects you work on?
A common misconception is that you need a green thumb and a big space to garden. With the right tools, information, and consistency anyone can garden, anywhere.
Who would you recommend your programs to?
Gardening is a great hobby for everyone. I encourage anyone with extra space to access our seed libraries, and grow an extra row to donate.
Any program milestones?
This year we donated 533 pounds of fresh produce through our Grow a Row program to help ensure food security in Hamilton.
What are you looking forward to in 2022?
Seedy Saturday! A community event to share local seeds and share knowledge about seed saving and responsible gardening practices
We were thrilled to be able to welcome small groups of visitors back to EcoHouse in person this year, and we’re looking forward to hosting, educating, and connecting with more Hamiltonians in 2022. That’s why this year’s GivingTuesday Fundraiser will support our youth outdoor education programs at EcoHouse and in our community.
Want to support our programs? You can donate any amount or sign up to become a monthly donor here.
