Nurturing our community

Ask the farming Heeman family about their giving philosophy and the response is fittingly down to earth – both literally and figuratively.

“The community is a lot like a plant – if you nurture it, invest in it and care for it, it will thrive and prosper,” says Will Heeman.

Sitting around the table in the loft above Heeman’s cidery, with the sweet scent of warm apples in the air, Will, Rudy and Rita share their family’s history and their hope for the community.

“Our parents had the typical immigrant story,” says Rudy. “They arrived with $500 in their pocket and a big dream.”

After getting married in 1958, Bill and Susan Heeman took a permanent honeymoon to Canada from Holland to start a new life. Bill initially sought work as a mechanic but with few prospects available, he and Susan bought some land with the hope of more prosperous days ahead.

What began in 1963 as a modest farm with a single cow and a small strawberry patch has evolved into more than 70 acres of berries, state-of-the-art greenhouses, a cidery, and every Londoner’s favorite happy place.

Now the second and third generation of the family are leading the company.

“Rita figures out how to grow it, Rudy keeps it alive, and I sell it,” says Will of their roles.

The trio aren’t the only members of the family immersed in the business. Everyone from Will’s mother Florence to his sister Bridget, brother Tom and sister-in-law Susan are involved. You can’t spend much time at Heeman’s without bumping into a member of the family.

Investing in their community

Heeman’s commitment to the community has sprouted and grown along with the family business.

Rita recalls the first request she and her father received from the May Court Club several decades ago. Since then, requests have steadily increased, leading the family to reflect on the causes they feel most passionate about.

“We are focused on local causes – those that are youth, local food, food-literacy based and mental health care,” says Will.

Whether it’s a donation of seedlings and pots, strawberries for the foodbank or stepping up to help a local community centre following a fire, the family wants to give back.

“We live here, our kids go to school here, and we want to represent the family well in the community,” says Will.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London has been an important focus for the family, which has given generously to the organization for nearly a decade. This generosity extends beyond financial donations. Will currently serves on St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation’s Board of Directors and is in his second year as the Chair of the Breakfast of Champions (BOC) event, which raises funds for St. Joseph’s mental health care program. This year, Heeman’s is serving as the presenting sponsor of BOC.

“Mental health has become an acute issue in the community, for our family and our staff,” says Will. “On an individual basis, you sometimes feel helpless, so we are just trying to make some positive change.”

This past holiday season, the family channeled that desire to make a difference by donating the proceeds from Heeman’s Spread the Cheer campaign to support the purchase of 181 winter coats for patients and residents receiving mental health care at St. Joseph’s. He was proud to partner with Columbia Sportswear on the donation.

“To be able to make an impact and put a warm jacket on someone who may have nothing, why wouldn’t you do that?” Will says of the gift.

For 61 years, Heeman’s has been flourishing while staying connected to their roots and their family’s strong commitment to the community.

“Giving is in our DNA,” says Rudy. “As a family, it is important to us, and we’ll continue to do it as long as we are here.”