IN THE COMMUNITY

A word by our owner-operator, Martina Rowley: 

On my website and in my blogs, I mention that my business supports and works with local businesses, suppliers and staff or subcontractors as much as possible. Although I am well versed with international locations – having lived in three countries and two continents so far – and have clients outside of Canada, for me, feeling at home in the place I live and work means being part of my local community by shopping, hiring, socialising, as well as volunteering in my hometown and local area. As the famous saying goes: There’s no place like home. And home extends beyond my own four walls. 

When we work with local or Canadian clients, we can recommend other local vendors from our network or work with international businesses. Either way, we forge close relationships with those we engage with, and that is always to benefit our clients as well. To that end, I have been actively and passionately engaged in community outreach and volunteer roles in various aspects for the past 20 years, regardless of the big city or small town I have lived in. Below is just a short excerpt of my community activities:  

Food Security

• Founder & coordinator of the Orangeville Urban Harvest Program (since 2018); a food rescue to harvest unpicked and excess fruits and produce from the local area, which is donated to the Orangeville Food Bank and used for their clients, as part of local school breakfast programs, and in high school culinary programs.
  Annual harvest/donations typically range between 1,000 – 1,500 pounds (mostly apples). To find out more and register your fruit tree or sign up as a volunteer, send an email to: urbanharvest@orangville.ca

• Active supporter of the Orangeville Food Bank through my Urban Harvest Program, as well as participation in their fundraising and educational events, e.g. Coldest Night Of The Year walk, and occasional baking workshops 

Mentoring

• Volunteer ‘Big Sister’ mentor and advocate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dufferin and District. Mentoring a local girl, aka ‘little sister’ (since 2018)

Education

• Columnist of monthly environmental column “Green Piece” for the Orangeville Citizen newspaper (since 2018)

• Columnist of environmental article for the Beach Metro Community News, Toronto, (2012-2017)

• Environmental researcher & writer, Living Green Barrie (2003-2004)