We are a co-operative that is trying to grow and encourage healthy eating. We take delivery and sort at the Midland Alliance Church on Yonge Street. The Good Food Box (GFB) is a non-profit fresh fruit and vegetable distribution system created by FoodShare Toronto, and in North Simcoe it is operated out of Wendat Community Programs Social Club. The GFB runs like a large buying club with centralized
buying and coordination. Individuals place orders for boxes with volunteer coordinators in their neighbourhood and receive a box brimming with fresh, tasty produce on a monthly cycle. Customers benefit from the cost savings of bulk buying and time saved by this distribution method. Produce is touched by fewer hands, gets to them faster, and costs less. This means purchasing high quality, fresh food is within reach of many more people than the regular retail system. We choose Ontario-grown products whenever possible because we want to know where and how our food is produced, support local farmers, and reduce the fossil fuels burned. Customers pay the cost of the food itself and some of the delivery costs. Each box is accompanied by a newsletter that offers nutrition information, as well as easy and economical food preparation tips. For more information on the North Simcoe Good Food Box or to find a drop-off near you email [email protected] or call 705-526-1305 and ask for Verna or leave a message for her at ext. 241. Customers pay $20 for a Good Food Box. What's in each box? Every Good Food Box is filled with top-quality fruits and vegetables from local farmers and the Ontario Food Terminal. Each box contains the same mixture of produce, though the contents change with each delivery depending on what is in season and reasonably priced at the time. Our priorities in choosing Good Food Box contents are: quality, value, culturally appropriate food, local and seasonal, sustainable growing practices, reduced packaging, and fair trade. How are boxes packed and delivered? Our Good Food Box volunteers pack the boxes each week, and our drivers deliver them to neighbourhood drop-off locations, where local volunteer coordinators collect money in advance of delivery, and make sure that everyone gets their box after it arrives. We deliver to libraries, daycares, apartment buildings, churches – anywhere there are 8-10 people who want to buy a box. What are the impacts of this program? Established in February 1994 with just 47 boxes, the FoodShare's Good Food Box program now distributes approximately 4,000 Good Food Boxes each month through about 200 neighbourhood drops. The North Simcoe division distributes between 150-200 boxes each month. Professional evaluation of The Good Food Box shows that participating in the program helps people access a more nutritious diet. It is now thought that up to 70% of deaths result from diseases that have a diet-related dimension, and there is mounting evidence that eating enough fruit and vegetables is key to preventing disease. Not only is it a matter of justice that everyone should have access to the f
