And the Winner for 2012 is...

Proceeds from the Brewers Plate 2012 will benefit a dynamic organization called Green Thumbs Growing Kids.

Here is their recent excellent profile on CTV,  with Mark Cullen  

GTGK's mission is  to work with urban children, youth and their families to learn about, grow and prepare fresh foods, cultivated in an environmentally sustainable manner in hands-on programs.

Their garden-based programs are centred around hands-on learning and include soil health and composting, native edibles and medicinal plants, food plants from all over the world and local seasonal fruits and vegetables.  They partner with the City of Toronto and the school boards, using greenhouse space and land toward the vision of A Garden In Every School. By starting with an edible garden, children learn about the intricate relationship of food to nature and get to explore with all their senses.

The beneficiary selection process this year was down to a short list of four wonderful local food and farming groups in the Toronto region. Congratulations to Green Thumbs Growing Kids! 

On behalf of the organizing committee of the 2011 Brewers Plate we would like to thank all of you who helped us raise funds for the amazing work of Not Far From the Tree. Laura Rainsborough writes: "It is with great pleasure that I announce the significant expansion that Not Far From The Tree will achieve this year. The reach of our highly-successful fruit picking program is doubling this year from 7 to 14 neighbourhoods! This includes all of the old city limits of Toronto & East York as well as Davenport West (Ward 17) and Scarborough-Agincourt. It is thanks to the support from Brewer's Plate that we are able to expand to the Agincourt neighbourhood in Scarborough. We are partnering with Agincourt Community Service Association to make this expansion as purposeful as it can be."

For more information, follow along on their fruit picking adventures at www.notfarfromthetree.org or sign up for their e-newsletter

How many pounds of fruit will this expansion enable them to pick? Wager your guess here. Here's to a fruitful season!

Not Far From the Tree Puts Toronto fruit to good use by picking and sharing the bounty.

When a homeowner can’t keep up with the abundant harvest produced by their fruit tree, they call us to mobilize volunteers to pick the bounty. The harvest is split three ways: 1/3 is offered to the tree owner, 1/3 is shared among the volunteers, and 1/3 is delivered by bicycle to be donated to food banks, shelters, and community kitchens in the neighbourhood. We’re putting an existing source of fresh fruit to good use by sharing with those most in need. It’s a win-win-win situation!

This simple act has profound impact. We’re enhancing the environment, promoting local food, alleviating poverty, enriching city life, and feeding those most in need.