The Grow Hope program continues to flourish and grow in the diocese of Rupert’s Land.
The Grow Hope project began several years ago and continues to be a significant PWRDF program within our diocese. The Grow Hope project is designed to help bring rural and city Anglicans together, helping to build a program which raises funds for needed causes throughout the world.
The Grow Hope project begins with the commitment of a farmer to grow a certain number of acres of a crop such as wheat, canola or soyabeans. The number of acres for the program is based on the ability of people to raise funds to pay for a portion of the farmer’s input costs. The program aims to provide $300 per acre to the grower i.e., in 2022 we raised enough funds to have 15 acres committed to the program. The farmer grows the crop, sells it, and donates the money to the diocese. The money is then transferred to the PWRDF account. The first farmer working with the Grow Hope project was Chris Lea who lives in the Manitou area of Manitoba. Last year a new farmer joined the program; Fred Wiebe and his sons from Springsteen, MB joined the program, and are committed for 2023.
The funds from Grow Hope have been used in many different ways and towards numerous purposes. Last year Grow Hope funds were targeted for a relief project in Kenya. Kenya is facing severe drought situations, with some areas of Kenya having been without rain for 4 years—it is hard to imagine the devastation that the drought has had on the people, the animals, and the land. This past spring the coordinator of the project from Kenya, Mary Obiero, came to Western Canada. Several of us had the privilege of travelling with Mary as she visited the farms and met the farmers who had participated in the Grow Hope project. It was truly a very impactful and emotional meeting when Mary told those farmers, in person, that they had made a difference and helped save people’s lives. There was not a dry eye in the group.
This year we have identified the project for which Grow Hope funds will be targeted. The funds will be directed towards the Nyaragusu refugee camp in Tanzania. The funds will be used to help a targeted group of refugees learn to grow vegetables suitable to the area, with the intention of having this group teach others in the camp to grow vegetables for their own use—a great project to help meet the needs of people.
Fred and his sons already have the crop of soybeans planted for the upcoming year. They have offered to donate the proceeds of 40 acres to the program; and so, we have a goal of raising at least $12,000 ($300 x 40) for the program.
How do you donate? It is very simple: You can donate to the Diocese of Rupert’s Land, with “Grow Hope” specified on the donation. The donation can be made directly to the diocesan office or to your church secretary, who will forward it to the diocese, and appropriate personnel.
