Why Support Grassroots Community Projects?
During the summer of 2020, a seed sprouted in the Six Nations community, a Haudenosaunee reserve near Hamilton, ON, - Revitalizing Our Sustenance Project (ROSP) was born!
Since the beginning in developing ROSP, a grassroots community initiative, Indigenous Climate Action has been a great support system to our growth. Throughout the years ROSP has applied to the Wellness honorarium and the community supports. We are so appreciative and grateful for the help we received over the years. As a grassroots group it's hard to come by unrestricted funding opportunities, especially when the main objectives are rooted in farming which means most funding opportunities do not support equipment purchases or lumber costs. With ICA’s understanding of empowering grassroots and simply just letting us do the work without having extra admin responsibilities - these were a huge help over the years. We are sincerely grateful for this type of relationship; and ICA, who embodies this to Indigenous community. Not all funding organizations or opportunities embody Indigenous communal relations in this way.
When supporting grassroots groups, like ours, that are rooted in community and for the community, every single donation helps. Every donation gets us a little bit closer to our goals of becoming a sustainable environmental hub for the Six Nations community (the largest indigenous community, by population in Canada) and surrounding communities in Southern Ontario!
What are you exactly supporting by donating? The current landscape at ROSP is 27 acres of open farmland where we are working towards developing food forests, supportive habitats, and soil remediation projects. Just this past fall, we planted around 55-70 native shrubs, trees, and plants to start the process. We hope to continue this journey in hopes to educate others by documenting both successes and failures. Another important factor in documenting our journey, is to create online and accessible content for teachers, educators, and other farming groups so that Indigenous knowledge, experiences, and inclusivity is implemented in the school system and other organizations. As a teacher myself, Indigenous seeds, plants, and restoration curriculum is needed in our schools; we want our young people to be encouraged to create, sustain, and advocate for our plant relatives and to keep our environment healthy for years to come!
As a full-time teacher, ROSP is a passion project, a lifestyle, and just simply to make a difference in the Six Nations community. As a person who struggled with mental health and endured many obstacles, being close to plants, seeds, Indigenous foods, and soil are my foundation to healing. I turned pain into passion! I believe everyone can do the same!
Nia:wen for reading this blog and learning a little bit about what reciprocity means to ROSP - as this year ends and the next year unfolds, I send you wishes for renewed passion in everything you pursue and that the right support(s) will be there for you when you need it most.
If you are interested in supporting the work of Revitalizing Our Sustenance, you can email: revitalizingoursustenance@gmail.com.
Our website will be available soon!
If you would like to help ICA support community, please visit their donate page.
Located on the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory
www.revitalizingoursustenanceproject.com
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Denise Miller, Founder & Project Manager, REVITALIZING OUR SUSTENANCE PROJECT
