$100K worth of vegetable plants delivered across Metro Vancouver to address food insecurity

VANCOUVER -

Thirty-thousand vegetable plants valued at $100,000 were delivered across Metro Vancouver over the weekend in an effort to address food insecurity.

Urban Roots Garden Market, which operates seven pop-up garden markets, donated and delivered the goods to more than 30 community gardens, kitchens and schools in the region.

The donation also included floral plants designed to attract bees because several foods require pollination.

"We have the resources and I believe the obligation to take care of our neighbours in need," said Urban Roots Garden Market CEO Bill Brar, in a news release.

"Growing plentiful and high-quality vegetables can have an exponential impact in providing good quality food to hungry families."

It's a message that is being echoed by Ron Murphy, the general manager of Urban Roots.

"There's a lot of concern about the food channel. We do a very good job in growing the different varieties and we wanted to make sure the products got out to hands and to educate people in regards to how they can take care of their food channel moving forward," Murphy told CTV News in an interview Saturday.

United Way Lower Mainland, Kanaka Creek Elementary and Pitt Meadows Community Garden were just some of the recipients of the donation.

Urban Roots said food insecurity is not a new issue in Metro Vancouver and community gardens are an important part of the solution.