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Gifts of Giving

People say there are two types of givers: those that buy presents that people need, and those that buy things that people want. We'd like to challenge this categorization and say that there are actually three categories of gift-givers. The third category is those that buy things that can bring social change, enhance our environments, or help other succeed in the good work that they do. Gifts of giving. 

Below are three Greenbelt gifts of giving from Greenbelt organizations that are working to preserve its natural beauty and create a sustainable future for all.

Bruce Trail Conservancy

Help preserve Canada’s oldest marked footpath and a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Visit https://brucetrail.org/donations/donate or call (905) 529-6821.

Environment Hamilton

An organization working to help grow and develop the knowledge and skills needed to protect and enhance the environment surrounding Hamilton. Donations can be made by contacting (905) 549-0900.

FoodShare

Play a role in Ontario’s Greenbelt by making sure there is fresh healthy food for everyone. By placing a donation to FoodShare in the name of a friend or family member, you are ensuring many FoodShare projects are able to continue contributing to many communities. Most FoodShare programs are completely community service, such as teaching how to make homemade baby food, supporting community gardens and kitchens and operating the FoodLink Hotline. www.foodshare.net

The Greenbelt Foundation is

  • Participating strategically in growing the Greenbelt by working with Toronto, Peel, Halton, and Guelph

  • Enhancing Farmers’ Markets, increasing sales for farmers in the Greenbelt and beyond

  • Contributing to greater sales of Greenbelt wines at the LCBO

  • Building a local food economy from developing new markets to enhancing distribution channels

  • Supporting the creation of an award-winning Greenbelt granola bar

  • Creating Greenbeltfresh.ca, the leading electronic marketplace to source local, Greenbelt foods from over 600 producers

  • Contributing $2.65 million to Greenbelt farmers to improve their operations (leveraging millions of dollars from federal sources), and to employ the opportunities of the Green Energy Act

  • Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara

  • Funding policy changes to encourage more local food to be sold in Durham

  • Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter

  • Creating a network of Farmer’s Markets to help improve our local food economy

  • Bridging farming and hiking interests to acknowledge environmental progress by farmers

  • Supporting the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance to foster strong Greenbelt Plan implementation at the municipal level

  • Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students

  • Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel schools, City of Toronto, City of Markham and others

  • Hosted the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference in Toronto in March 2011 with speakers and delegates from over nine countries

  • Hosting the successful Tour de Greenbelt to promote Ontario’s Greenbelt as a tourism destination

  • Partnering with Harbourfront Centre to tell the story of Ontario’s Greenbelt to 12 million people via a year-long, outdoor photography exhibit

  • Identifying barriers to opening markets for Greenbelt farmers and proposing solutions

  • Engaging with over 170 million Ontarians directly through our marketing, events and communications activities

  • Increasing amount of Greenbelt food in food share program 140%

  • Supporting the Credit Valley Conservation Authority to protect and restore wetlands

  • Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic

  • Funding research and analysis on greenbelts around the globe which concluded that Ontario’s Greenbelt is the most robust in the world, with a strong legal and policy framework

  • Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns

  • Supporting development of action plans for a variety of agricultural areas and commodities

  • Bringing thousands of Ontarians out into the Greenbelt each year through grantee activities and the Annual Tour de Greenbelt cycling event

  • Funding visionary planning processes such as the new Cootes to Escarpment Park Management Plan, and a massive reforestation plan in Rouge Park

  • Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas

  • Providing grants and support to significantly increase sales at farmers’ markets

  • Supporting the development of multi-cultural crops and training new Canadian Farmers

  • Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel, U of T. City of Toronto Facilities and Markham

  • Funding the Holland Marsh Growers’ transition from an export, commodity focus to one that serves the local market with value- added products

  • Reaching over 75 million by placing 220 permanent highway and regional road signs to ensure Ontarians and visitors know about this valuable protected area

  • Assisting in designing new policies to protect Lake Simcoe through timely research

  • Supporting changing the City of Toronto policy to adopt a local food purchasing bylaw for city facilities

  • Supporting the creation of new multi-cultural crops and development of ethnic local food guides in Toronto and York Region

  • Engaged Hamilton schools to switch to Greenbelt food for their students

 
Learn more about what the Greenbelt Foundation has done for you »

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