Can You Dig It! Recognized for Building Inclusion through Innovation

VANCOUVER - In 20 gardens throughout Metro Vancouver, there is more than food growing. The spaces, tended by people who have a disability and new immigrants, transform unsightly and unused plots of land into vibrant gardens that do produce fresh fruits and vegetables. But the real harvest is more inclusive communities.

Since launching Can You Dig It! in 2010, posAbilities is growing a new approach to creating communities that welcome people of all abilities and learning. The initiative sees people who have a disability work with nearby residents to create community agricultural space.

A portion of the food is used by posAbilities in its cooking and nutrition classes, with a portion of the food donated to local food banks.

Cinthia Page, Can You Dig It!’s project co-ordinator, says it’s the latter activity, giving food back to people in need, that is empowering for people who have a disability.

“This is what we do with Can you Dig it! We connect people and offer them a place to grow and contribute in their community,” said Cinthia.

More than 700 people have engaged with Can You Dig It!, including 150 people who have a disability.

The organization partners with MOSAIC, which helps immigrants and refugees settle into Canadian society, to further expand the gardens’ membership and reach.

For Can You Dig It!'s ability to strengthen connections between people who have a disability and their community, posAbilities and Cinthia were recently presented with Inclusion through Innovation awards from the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI).

Richard Faucher, co-executive director of BACI, another organization that supports people who have a disability, praised posAbilities for taking a good idea and turning it into a reality.

PosAbilities, he says, evolved the idea by seeking expertise, creating a business plan, and securing funding and support from partners like Social Venture Partners, MOSAIC, BACI and Wal-Mart.

“We recognize posAbilities’ efforts and commitment in this because we know at BACI how difficult (it can be) to take an idea, no matter how worthy it is, and to turn it into reality. As a community, we can look at posAbilities for innovation and leadership.”

Both organizations aim to create more inclusive communities through social innovation. Richard adds the awards, which receive support from the Sharing Our Future Foundation, is enhancing leadership towards this goal.

The first-ever Inclusion through Innovation Awards took place Nov. 3 at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Axiom News provides News Making Services to posAbilities and BACI. A version of this article was originally published at www.gobaci.com. If you would like to learn more about our Stakeholder News services, contact peter@axiomnews.ca.

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