Our Mission
Social Harvest Ottawa's main mission is to improve food security in underprivileged communities by growing and donating nutritious produce to our neighbouring Food Bank. Through innovative urban farming, we are able to grow organic produce in our space at the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Centre. Fresh produce for the food bank is grown and harvested from our vertical farm (hydroponic racks & grow towers) as well as our community garden.
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In order to promote food literacy and lasting environmental knowledge, we offer various workshops and events in our community to educate and engage them in sustainable agricultural practices.
Social Harvest also reduces food waste by collecting food scraps from the Food Bank and contributing to a robust vermi-composting system. This system utilizes earthworms in the composting process to produce nutrient-rich worm castings, which serve as an organic soil fertilizer. These castings offer numerous sustainable benefits to plants and soil alike.
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The initiative began in 2019 as a small program at the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre, and since then, our team has continued to work tirelessly towards our goal of poverty reduction and food security. Operating as a social enterprise, all earnings are reinvested into our programs. By providing locally-grown, fresh produce to the food bank and prioritizing food literacy, Social Harvest plays a vital role in addressing key challenges faced by our community.
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We encourage community involvement and actively engage volunteers of all ages in our activities and events, offering opportunities for participation and learning. Additionally, we offer three-month paid internships in partnership with incubator13, specifically designed to support youth aged between 18 and 29 in developing their professional and entrepreneurial skills.
We strive for:
Expanded partnerships in our community to contribute to local food insecurity and poverty reduction solutions.
Increased availability of fresh locally-grown produce.
Increased number of residents with food literacy, agricultural and environmental knowledge.
We contribute to the United Nation's Social Development Goals
Build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.
End hunger and ensure access by all people to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. Double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers. Ensure sustainable food production systems.
Ensure equal access to affordable and quality education; technical, vocational and tertiary, including university. Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles.
Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. Halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.