Have you met Val and Heather? That’s them on either side of me in the photo above. They’re two incredible women who have helped shape Not Far From The Tree to what it is today. They have volunteered their time as Supreme Gleaners with our fruit picking program and as lead committee members with Syrup in the City. They are among an incredible crew of volunteers who have dedicated parts of their lives – whether big or small – to making Not Far From The Tree the success that it is.

This success was recently celebrated at TheWIFTS International Visionary Awards Ceremony held at the TIFF Bell Lightbox here in Toronto. TheWIFTS Foundation is dedicated to “increasing public awareness of the accomplishments achieved by women whose unwavering dedication to their aspirations transcends economic and cultural divides to effectuate lasting impressions on society.” Previously held in L.A., this was the first year in Toronto.

Heather, Val, and I were there because I was given the Gaea Environment Award for my work in starting Not Far From The Tree. This is an incredible honour, made even more so as I met the amazing women who were my fellow honourees. I was deeply moved by the integrity of the work that was celebrated: filmmaker Frances Causey who created the documentary Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?, Rachel Zimmerman Brachman who is Solar System and Technology Education Specialist for NASA, and Sally Goodrich who – after her son was killed as a passenger on United flight 175 when it was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center – then started a foundation to build schools and dig wells in Afghanistan.

And I can’t help but mention that Debbie Travis was also one of the honourees – and she tickled my son’s belly! (We haven’t washed it since.)

It was a true honour to receive the Gaea Environment Award. And yet it’s clearly not an individual effort: with nearly 1000 volunteers now contributing, 750 fruit tree owners, and 27 partner agencies, Not Far From The Tree is brought to life by all of those who put the concept into action.

In my/our acceptance speech, I gave the audience an assignment for the holiday season: to remember the true value of our food and the work that goes into it (often by women). Whether it be to somebody who grows your food, prepares it for you, saves the seed, protects the water, sets the table, or serves it up: give a heartfelt thank you this holiday season.

(P.S. Thanks, mom! Can you teach me your spaghetti sauce recipe?)