This month Allie and Rayna had the opportunity to talk to Jeremiah Basuric and Amy Delday. Both Jeremiah and Amy have been coming up with gardeners for many many years.
Jeremiah (second from the left) with some of the gardeners from The Mustard Seed.
Where do you work and what do you do? I work at The Mustard Seed in downtown Edmonton as the Chaplain. How long have you been involved with Lady Flower Gardens? Since 2012! Do you think this programming is important? Why? Yes, this program is an opportunity for our community to be part of urban food security and sustainability. This program is a step towards sustainable community development which empowers people. Such a step is hard for some agencies to take, Lady Flower Gardens invites and equips such agencies to join in this first step. What do you think your clients/ the gardeners you bring up get out of this program? Our community not only gets physical needs met at the garden, they also have their emotional, relational and spiritual needs nourished. In the craziness of inner-city life, the garden is a refuge. Also, since their own gifts, talents and abilities are celebrated, their sense of self and dignity is restored. This is so important as the amount of charity they receive can be dehumanizing in nature. What do you get out of this program? I get to see the image of God recovered in many of community who come. This recovering work also includes myself.
Where do you work and what do you do? I work for Alberta health services with the housing outreach and stabilization team at the addictions and mental health downtown office. How long have you been involved with LFG? 6 years Do you think this programming is important? Why? Absolutely. It makes such a difference in the lives of everyone who comes out here. Staff and gardeners alike. Everyone who comes up here just feels so much better after they have been here. We are making a huge difference in the lives of the people who come here and in the community as a whole by donating to the food bank. What do you think your clients/the gardeners you bring up get out of this program? We actually ask our clients that every week on the surveys that we do. A lot of the answers we receive is that the reason they come out here is to get out of the city and to socialize and to give back to the community. Those are the 3 main reasons that individuals come up. As well, another frequent answer we receive is to get out of their heads and to do something that will make them feel better. What do you get out of this program? I love coming to the garden. I love having the opportunity to see people experience growing vegetables and tending to a garden and giving back. It’s just so nice to see the difference that we are making in people’s lives. Personally, I always feel better when I come to the garden. It’s my favourite day of the week!