WAA celebrates 25 years of supporting Harvest Manitoba through airport vegetable garden

A Winnipeg Airports Authority tradition of helping fight hunger in the community has reached a major milestone.

The Harvest Garden, located on the campus of Winnipeg Richardson International Airport, celebrated its 25^th anniversary of helping to feed those in need on Friday. More than 2,400 pounds of potatoes, beets, carrots and onions were collected from the garden this year. The vegetables will be distributed to Manitobans through the Harvest Community Food Network of food banks and other agencies in 325 communities across the province.

“This initiative really speaks to our unwavering commitment of serving our community in any way we can,” said Barry Rempel, President and CEO of WAA. “It’s truly a team effort and something all of our staff members look forward to each year. Our quarter of a century of success in the Harvest Garden would not be possible without their help and dedication.”

 

WAA employees pitch in each summer to help plant, tend and harvest nutritious vegetables for families in need. Over the years, the Harvest Garden has grown from its humble beginnings near the airport firehall to a 4,000-square-foot plot at its current location along Wellington Avenue.

“It takes a province to feed a province,” said Vince Barletta, CEO of Harvest Manitoba. “Over the past 25 years, Winnipeg Airports Authority’s participation in our Grow-A-Row program has been a critical source of fresh vegetables for our Harvest Hampers. We are so thankful to have WAA and their employees in our community of Harvest Stars. Their support helps us feed 80,000 Manitobans who rely on us for emergency food support every month.”

Since the Harvest Garden started in 1997, WAA has donated 67,181 pounds of produce to Harvest Manitoba. The all-time total equates to roughly 395,182 servings of vegetables – enough to help provide a meal for more than 98,700 families.