Leamington resident growing vegetable garden to help people during COVID-19 pandemic
CBC News | Posted: June 19, 2020 10:00 AM | Last Updated: June 19, 2020
Joan Grey will distribute the vegetables later this summer
For the past two years, Joan Grey has been growing vegetables to sell in the Chatham area.
This year, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Grey says she plans on distributing the vegetables for free, as a means of giving back to those in need — including migrant workers.
"There won't be any costs for the produce that we'll be reaping this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic," she said.
Grey, who also founded and runs a migrant worker not-for-profit called Unity Hopeful, explained that the free vegetable distribution isn't just about helping migrant workers — it's a chance to give back to the Leamington community where she lives.
WATCH | Joan Grey talks about vegetable garden, migrant workers:
"This year, I decided it was going to be a fundraiser for my program," she said. "But due to the pandemic, it's going to be free."
"People are out of work and people are having a hard time purchasing food and all that stuff."
Among the crops currently growing in Grey's garden are callaloo — a spinach-like vegetable — as well as hot peppers, Jamaican pumpkin and roma tomatoes.
Once the produce is ready, Grey said she'll use Facebook and Instagram to put the word out.