Olive Tree Foundation Announces Grant to Fund Pollinator Garden in Thorncliffe Park

(TORONTO) - The Olive Tree Foundation has announced that a grant has been awarded to The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) for the project, “Thorncliffe Park Pollinator Habitat Project.”

The project, to be conducted by Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers (TPUF), will restore selected spaces in Thorncliffe Park area that are overgrown with invasive species of plants into pollinator friendly habitats to  support local biodiversity. It will provide Thorncliffe Park area youth and adult volunteers with  space, material resources and training to create naturalistic garden spaces to promote community engagement.  

The project will use the restored habitats as outdoor learning spaces to educate the community on the importance of biodiversity and its impacts on the environment, urban farming, and human well-being.

“I would like to thank the Olive Tree Foundation’s leadership for their generous support for our community project,” said Najeeb Siddiqui, a volunteer with the Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers (TPUF). ”We have no doubt that this financial support will allow us to make a difference in the community and will help us build capacity for future projects.”

“By establishing a suitable environment for pollinators in a high-density urban setting, we will be restoring essential habitats for insects and birds to thrive and a beautiful place for the residents to learn and discover.”

"The Olive Tree Foundation is very pleased to fund the “Thorncliffe Park Pollinator Habitat Project” and support the important work of Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers (TPUF),” says Muneeb Nasir, Chair of the Olive Tree Foundation, in announcing the grant. "This project will educate the community on the importance of biodiversity and its impacts on the environment,  urban farming, and human well-being."

The Olive Tree Foundation is a philanthropic foundation that promotes community development through the collection of endowed funds and charitable contributions to fund services for the long-term benefit of the community.

The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) is a community organization that provides settlement assistance to the newcomers in Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, Victoria Village and St. James Town neighbourhoods. Over the years, TNO has become the anchor organization for these communities, providing a range of services such as health, legal, family, food and employment support, as well as advocate on behalf of the residents to their supporters and sponsors. 

Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers are a group of Toronto residents committed to bringing urban farming to a densely populated, high-rise neighbourhood.