The Terrace Anti-Poverty Group Society may not have a permanent office anymore, but it is still growing.
Most notably, gardens.
The group has around 50 plots between its two community gardens, one on Evergreen St. and a smaller one on Apsley St., and is focusing on expanding the Evergreen gardens behind the Skeena Kalum housing units on the southside.
Society member Jeannine Knox said the group is hoping to add on 20 to 30 new plots at the site. The group is also planning on putting up a large greenhouse in the coming months.
Individuals and groups have come out to participate in worker bees, and more sessions are being planned to get the plots ready.
“We have plots ready for new gardeners,” Knox said, saying the new plots have been tilled and just need to be weeded.
There are still some plots in developed areas ready to use as well, and raised beds for people with disabilities.
There’s soil and seeds available, but Knox said the non-profit society is always looking for donations, be it gardening materials or money.
Due to lack of government grants, the group lost its operating money and staff time was gradually cut until the last full time position ran out in July 2010.
The anti-poverty group slowed down its services earlier this year, moving out of the city-owned house located on Park Ave. at the end of January.
Since then, anti-poverty has been running on volunteer board and staff, and had debated dissolving the society.
But society board president Tanya Gauvin said the group still around and putting out grant applications.
“We’re still looking for a place to reopen the free store,” she said. “We really want to get that opened back up to give the public a place to drop that stuff off and our clients a place to come get some stuff again.”
The group is looking for a storefront or old hall or anyplace that has the space available to continue former activities like accepting donations and distributing clothing.
It has stored its office equipment for the time being.
“We’d really, really like to get the free store up and running again and get it established, and hopefully everything else after that will fall into place,” Gauvin said.
“It’s hard to start up any programs when you’re homeless.”
But she said looking for a place for the free store is on the backburner right now.
“The mission now is to create a space for low income people and community members to come together and grow food and share their knowledge,” Gauvin said, “encouraging some kind of mentorship going on in the garden.”
Those looking for an garden plot can go to Skeena Diversity office on Lazelle Ave. to pick up an application.