Holy Cross students hold bake sales to sponsor Grow Hope Saskatchewan acres for international hunger relief

Representatives of Grow Hope Saskatchewan recently received a $700 donation from Holy Cross students who raised funds to sponsor two acres for global hunger relief. Left to right: Myron Rogal, diocesan coordinator of Justice and Peace; Rick Block of Canadian Foodgrains Bank; Michael LeBlanc of Development and Peace-Caritas Canada, and from Holy Cross High School: Glory Nwokeji, Alyshia Panlilio, teacher Wendy Dale, and Lydia Ghebrai. (Submitted photo)

Posted By: Kiply Lukan Yaworski May 28, 2026

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

As a new growing season gets underway for Grow Hope Saskatchewan farmers, a group of students at Holy Cross Catholic High School in Saskatoon have stepped up to sponsor input costs for two acres of this year’s crop to feed hungry people around the world.

Holy Cross students raised $700 to sponsor the acres by holding bake sales of goods that they made from recipes using the types of crops grown by Grow Hope Farmers.

Learning about Grow Hope and its impact inspired the students to undertake the fund-raising project.

“Through Grow Hope, I learned to appreciate the amount of dedication and collaboration it takes to hold a fundraiser,” said Alyshia Panlilio. “As someone who comes from the Global South, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to contribute to global food security. Grow Hope is exactly what the world needs right now.”

A display at Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon highlighted the work of Grow Hope Saskatchewan. (Submitted photo)

The two acres sponsored by the students would be the equivalent of two football fields, and the funds raised through the sale of the crops could provide emergency food for approximately 23 people for one month, said Myron Rogal, coordinator of the Justice and Peace Office in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

The Catholic organization Development and Peace-Caritas Canada is one of the ecumenical partners involved in Grow Hope Saskatchewan. The other partners include Mennonite Central Committee, Canadian Baptist Ministries, Synod of Saskatchewan of Presbyterian Church in Canada, Alongside Hope, and Canadian Lutheran World Relief

An online launch of the 2026 Grow Hope season was held May 19 and is available to view online:

 

The Grow Hope story

What began with one 160-acre commitment in 2018 has now grown to more than 500 acres in seven communities across the province,  and includes hundreds of supporters, rural and urban.

Grow Hope donors sponsor acres that are provided by participating farmers who grow the crops which are then sold, with profits donated to Canadian Foodgrains Bank for hunger relief around the world.

For more information about Grow Hope and how to participate, visit the website at: www.growhopesk.ca.

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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon: rcdos.ca.

Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.