Meet Troy Mitchell: SeedChange donor, beloved board member, and “voice from the rock”
May 11, 2023
“Seeds represent that willingness and ability to do something from the very beginning. Seeds are figuratively and literally the beginning of everything”.
After 12 long years Troy Mitchell attended his last SeedChange board meeting and his warmth and wit are already missed.
Troy’s connection to SeedChange goes back to his youth. He fondly recalls growing up watching SeedChange founder Lotta Hitshmanova on CBC TV. He remembers her talking about a project in Indonesia and was amazed that a Canadian organization was working in partnership with communities in other countries.
“That idea resonated with me because I come from rural Newfoundland where fishing and gardens are a part of our life. SeedChange’s programs had the same feeling of small communities in the world joining in supportive partnership”.
Troy’s interest in partnerships extended to his chosen career. He became a social worker and was heavily involved in supporting his community of Clarenville in Newfoundland.
But a chat with his daughter convinced him he could do even more. While watching the 20th anniversary of the LiveAid concert with his 7 year old, he told her why it was so important to act in solidarity with international communities, to which she responded, “Well what have you done internationally dad?” Gulp. He realized he had done nothing internationally. “So I made a decision a couple of months later to do my part, get involved and see if I could raise money for SeedChange’s programs”. Troy started by fundraising with local school children and then built a successful cross-country skiing event to raise money for SeedChange.
Troy (right) and singer, Tim Baker, at a Ski For Biodiversity event organized by Troy.
As years went on he had deeper conversations with staff about food security, sovereignty, and human connectedness. Troy joined the SeedChange board in 2012 in order to further his work in solidarity with farmers. “The approach and integrity of the work appealed to me as a human and a social worker”.
Troy credits some of the work at SeedChange for his deeper understanding of food sovereignty and for helping him see his own culture in a different light.
“I’m only one generation away from people living by their hands, season to season. Catching their own fish and using root cellars to get through the winter. I myself didn’t even see what an important part of my culture that was until I got more deeply involved with SeedChange’s work. The way the staff talked about communities, culture and sovereignty really impacted me”.
“For anyone who is scared about the future and wondering what to do, SeedChange has a really informed approach to feeding people and of looking at long-term solutions for the planet. I always tell people, SeedChange is the best kept secret in Canada. If more people only knew how important the work was they would be blown away. It’s extraordinary”.
When thanked for his long service to SeedChange Troy just said, “It’s a gift. I’ve gotten more than I’ve given”. Troy, you have given your fellow board members, staff and the entire SeedChange community many gifts. A big thank you from all of us for your tremendous support and contributions from the rock and beyond!