About Senior Organic Gardeners

Vision

Enhance the quality of life of Ottawa’s seniors focusing on overall physical, mental, emotional health, spiritual, and social well-being through participation in organic gardening for food and offer opportunities to share knowledge and the harvest with families and communities in harmony while respecting the principles of age-friendly communities.

Mission

SOG offers opportunities to seniors in the nation’s capital to engage in organic vegetable gardening as well as horticultural activities in the Non Growing Season to lessen social isolation and benefit from active and interesting gardening experiences including healthful and inclusive social interactions with SOG leaders, fellow gardeners and family members.

Mandate

To provide seniors in the Ottawa-Gatineau region with the tools and the organic seeds and plants that will nourish the spirit as well as the body and to promote sharing of food and knowledge in the community to increase awareness of organic practices and alleviate problems of food insecurity.

• Offer adapted opportunities for seniors to participate in gardening whether they are isolated within their own homes, or belong to community housing or community groups,
• Provide a gardening program adapted to the pandemic context, practicing hygiene and advising of safety measures,
• Provide container and raised beds for gardening for preferred organic vegetables, herbs and edible, pollinator flowers,
• Offer continued organic gardening workshops, Q&A sessions, horticultural therapy activities and socially distanced garden visits safely,
• Organize gardeners’ committees for seniors to share in decision-making about their garden community (probably not during pandemic),
• Implement ‘Peaceful Conflict Resolution’ guidance for seniors’ groups as needed. (not during pandemic),
• Provide gardening themed books with online discussions – Join here,
• Organize online wellness sessions – Sign up for notifications.

• Build social inclusion and healthy community relationships for seniors through gardening and horticultural therapeutic activities
• Improve seniors’ diets with increased access to fresh organic produce through home and community gardens
• Encourage positive communications and reduce cultural barriers among gardeners and leaders with the use of language interpreters
• Develop seniors’ participation in decision making in all communities through the establishment of garden committees probably
• Guide seniors to find enjoyment and pleasure in gardening no matter the scale and location of the garden
• Encourage enjoyment and sharing their gardening experiences with family, friends and fellow gardeners
• Encourage awareness of the significance of organic growing and its relationship to human health, the health of the planet and the meaning of life
• Develop peaceful minds and hearts among gardeners working through issues of their elder years

Program Financial and Administrative Sustainability

• Explore, consult and develop a sustainable funding model for Senior Organic Gardeners
• Build a strong SOG Leadership Team to further develop SOG’s financial stability and community relevance
• Explore community partners with mutual goals and clear expectations to enhance financial savings and program cooperation
• Continue and expand local fundraising through Projects such as Organic Seed Sales and Campaigns for donors, sponsors, SOG Symposium in February-March
• Monitor and apply for grants best aligned to the SOG strategic plan relevant to gardening and seniors
• Define the role of SOG Director relating to the SOG Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan
• Define the role of SOG Manager
• Further develop the SOG Advisory Group in the planning and review processes and building their suggestions into SOG planning.

Considerations for SOG Program Development- Future Vision

• Emphasize working with seniors in Community Groups- Seek out seniors in low-income lodgings, indigenous & Metis housing
• Initiate gardening support among isolated seniors in rural areas
• Refine SOG support of isolated seniors within the community
• Partner with technology assistance groups like Nerds-on-Site to recommend safely to seniors needing technology help – Negotiate a modest discount for seniors
• Expand delivery of Train-the-Trainer Workshops to Community Housing personnel for sustainability of the gardens, food is celebrated as central to both culture and community.