Brian and Virginia Weatherdon know the importance of nutrition and learning skills to promote wellbeing through culinary knowledge. That is why their family started the Weatherdon Fund for Early and Lifelong Nutrition with the Burlington Community Foundation.
The Weatherdons create positive community change through their fund, which aims to advance simple and strategic food skills in the home and in the community. These skills can then be shared and replicated easily among friends and next generations.
This past year, the Weatherdon Fund for Early and Lifelong Nutrition was instrumental in working with the Burlington Community Foundation to fund the Heritage Garden at Ireland House Museum.
Started during the COVID-19 pandemic, the garden is maintained by students from M.M. Robinson High School and all food grown is donated to community partners, including the Burlington Food Bank. The garden is a project that encourages youth engagement through skill development, while supporting food security —meeting two important needs in our community.
The Burlington Community Foundation was able to provide partial funding for the Heritage Garden from its Burlington Community Fund last fall. However, more funding was still required. That is when Brian and Virginia Weatherdon stepped in with a grant from Weatherdon Fund for Early and Lifelong Nutrition.
“We are very aware of the urgent ongoing need met by food banks and related sharing,” shared Brian. “Our focus reaches out today and for the future, to enhance how families can grow, preserve, and optimize nutrition even on a restricted budget. Our Community Foundation partners work wonderfully with us to identify groups who can share and implement our vision.”
Thanks to the generosity of the Weatherdons, the Heritage Garden will continue to have a positive impact in the local Burlington community, empowering youth with critical life skills that can be taught to future generations.