A local organization is hoping a new community garden and greenhouse project can help address food insecurity across Lloydminster, where the need for food support continues to grow.
The initiative is being led by the Lloydminster and Vermilion for Equity Foundation, known as LVE, through its Food Security Collective. Organizers describe the collective as a group of people in the area who have come together to build a community garden and greenhouse to feed the unhoused and the most vulnerable.
According to LVE, the demand for help locally often exceeds what is available. Volunteers distribute food throughout the community several times each week, with street teams going out twice a week each, covering four of the seven days.
Even so, organizers say the supplies run out quickly. They note that the teams are often out of food within an hour, and that there is never enough to go around, leaving some people missing out each time.
The project includes both a community garden and a greenhouse, with organizers hoping the spaces will provide a sustainable source of fresh produce for years to come, rather than relying solely on donated food.
Organizers add that the benefits extend beyond the food itself. They say community members, including some experiencing homelessness, have already pitched in to help bring the project to life, describing the involvement as something that helps people feel human and gives them a renewed sense of purpose.