Community Farm to launch ‘2,500-hour challenge’ this Sunday

**** Community Centre Media Release

​With only one staff member dedicated to cultivating its 20,000 square-foot Community Farm, the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre is issuing a challenge to corporate and community volunteers this Sunday at its annual Gardening Party.

“This season we want to encourage as much volunteering on the farm as possible, so we’re setting a goal of 2,500 hours of volunteer labour this summer and we’re inviting everyone to help us get there,” says Deborah Dickey, Manager of the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre.

What was once an empty field has grown more than 6,500 pounds of fresh produce for Dartmouth North over the past three years. The farm is an important source of fresh food for the individuals and families who participate and volunteer at Community Food Centre programs. It is used in meals and cooking programs and distributed free at the weekly produce market.

Every year the Centre kicks off the growing season with a Gardening Party fueled by corporate and community volunteers.​

What:​ ​ ​ ​ Gardening Party & launch of 2,500-hour challenge
When:​ ​ ​ Sunday, June 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where:​ ​ ​ 6 Primrose St., Unit 140, Dartmouth

The 2,500-hour challenge will be officially launched at the Gardening Party. Throughout the growing season the Centre will track every participant and will mark every hour of time donated on a giant carrot thermometer in the Centre.

A special thanks goes out to our Gardening Party event sponsors:

• BOYNECLARKE LLP
• O’Regan’s Automotive Group
• Sobeys (Community Meal sponsor)
• Killam Apartment REIT
• Councillor Tony Mancini

And to our Community Meal supporters:

• Battery Park
• The Canteen
• Chives
• The Watch That Ends the Night
• The Wooden Monkey
• Made with Local
• Noggins

Additionally, Home Depot and Conrad Brothers have provided some building material support and Power Promotional Concepts, Snickerdoodle Photography, and Truefaux Films are our promotional partners.

Representatives from the Community Food Centre and our sponsors will be available for interviews at the event.

“We appreciate the support of all our sponsors and contributors so much,” says Wendy Fraser, Executive Director. “We were able to develop this farm on schedule thanks to their hard work and financial support.”

Come see our supporters getting dirty for Dartmouth North!

About the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre

The Dartmouth North Community Food Centre is a place where the community comes together to grow, cook, share and advocate for good food.

It is a project of the Dartmouth Family Centre, which has been supporting families in our community for more than 20 years, and was founded in partnership with Community Food Centres Canada. The Dartmouth North Community Food Centre is the sixth in Canada and the first in Atlantic Canada