Did you know about Southcentre’s Rooftop Garden? After transforming their unutilized space, they’re expecting to grow thousands of pounds of fresh food which will all be donated to Made by Momma! Learn more at Southcentremall.com.
Did You Know?
- The rooftop garden at Southcentre Mall (which launched in May) is home to 100 planters which will produce 1,000 lbs of fruits, vegetables and herbs over the course of the summer that will be donated to Made by Momma.
- The garden is managed by urban agriculture experts at MicroHabitat, an organization that transforms unused, under-utilized spaces into urban farms. These initiatives contribute to the greening of urban areas, create local, ecological and resilient food systems, help support local communities, and encourage biodiversity in metropolises.
- Made by Momma offers practical peer-to-peer support for mothers and families facing situations of adversity and crisis. At its core, the organization is a foodbank, but instead of just providing grocery staples, it prepares and distributes large-batch homemade frozen meals to clients who are facing food insecurity or are unable to cook for their families.
- In 2022, Made by Momma supported 12,992 individuals, and in the first three months of 2023 alone, they received requests for support from more than 600 families. The rooftop garden will act as a sustainable, local solution to help fill this urgent need by providing fresh produce to the Made by Momma kitchens, particularly as food prices continue to rise.
- In addition, honey harvested from the urban beehives that already reside on Southcentre’s rooftop will also be donated to Made by Momma, and the biodiversity of the garden itself will contribute to creating a more restorative habitat for the resident pollinators.
- Plans are in place for the rooftop garden program to continue and grow this support on an annual basis following this year’s launch.
- “We are proud to be able to make the contribution of space and resources to this important sustainable program that will provide much needed nourishment to families in our community for years to come,” says Alexandra Velosa, Marketing Manager, Southcentre Mall. “Partnering with like-minded organizations like Made by Momma allows us to actively engage in our commitment to supporting Calgarians through initiatives that meet their physical needs, while also serving them with dignity and respect.”
- Unfortunately the garden is not open to the public, but anyone interested in learning more can visit www.southcentremall.com or www.madebymomma.org.
- Southcentre’s locally driven mindset is all encompassing and can be seen not only in its dedication to supporting local charities, but also in its efforts to support and host local businesses and entrepreneurs, host community events, and create multi-purpose community spaces for Calgarians to come together to learn, play and connect.