Student-Grown Produce Helping Address Food Insecurity

On a cold January morning, a group of University of Guelph student volunteers stays warm inside the Bovey Teaching Greenhouse. They’re planting cucumbers that they’ll harvest and donate to students in need. 

These are members of the Gryphon Greenhome Growers, an organization working to grow fresh, healthy produce for students.  

“This is a dream come true for me,” says Charlene Winchcombe-Forhan, who brought the project to life. Now retired, Winchcombe-Forhan worked as an educational support coordinator in the College of Biological Science.  

Gryphon Greenhome Growers, or 3G, gives students the opportunity to develop personal and professional skills while addressing the real problem of food insecurity. 

“The more people who are aware of a problem and engaging in a solution, the better the solution will ultimately be,” Winchcombe-Forhan explains.