Westside Food Collaborative

06/06/2024

Westside Food Collaborative at the Westside Literacy Fair on May 25 promoting food literacy and sharing information about programs, resources, opportunities and supports available in the community. 🍏🍎🍐🍊🍋🍌🍉🍇🍓🫐🍈🍒🥭🍍🥦🥬🍆🌶️🍅

03/28/2024

Last week Westside Food Collaborative and its members, Kits House Farm-to-Plate Marketplace, Village Vancouver Transition Town Initiative, and Food 4 Thought Garden Matching Program, in partnership with Sierra Club BC and National Farmers Union / L'Union nationale des fermiers hosted a community event to connect growers directly with eaters and turn eaters into grower, because we know that shortening the food production chain is a critical solution to the challenges of the modern food system.
This free (or by donation) community event featured a film screening of inspiring short docs about local farming from Depth of Field, a panel discussion with the filmmaker and local food system experts, as well as resources and free gardening seeds giveaway! We learnt about the challenges and joys of small-scale farming, the importance of supporting local family farms, as well as opportunities to grow your own food! With over 60 people in attendance, it was an informative, inspiring and heartfelt community gathering!

Thank you for all your kind donations, with food items supporting Kits Community Pantry and monetary donations going to RAVEN , Village Vancouver, Farm to Plate, and Food4Thought.

Thank you to all the organizations, volunteers, contributors and community members who made this event possible!
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Presented by Sierra Club BC, Westside Food Collaborative, Farm to Plate Marketplace, Village Vancouver, Food4Thought and Kitsilano Neighbourhood House.

In partnership with National Farmers Union, March Forth Creative and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriCommunication Program.

Photo Credit: Alan Katowitz Photography

03/20/2024

Spaces are filling fast and registration closes soon! Secure your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/depth-of-field-film-screening-and-community-event-tickets-858336907797?aff=oddtdtcreator
Whether you want to buy more local produce directly from farmers or grow your own food in your backyard - this event is for you! 🥬🍅🥕🥦
From connecting growers directly with eaters to turning eaters into growers - shortening the food production chain is a critical solution to the challenges of the modern food system.

Westside Food Collaborative and its members, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, Farm to Plate Marketplace, Village Vancouver, and Food4Thought, in partnership with Sierra Club of BC and the National Farmers Union are hosting a free community event to help YOU play a part in supporting a sustainable and just food system, starting in your own neighbourhood.

📍Join us on Thursday, March 21st, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House.

Register on Eventbrite. We aim to make the event accessible to all. The event is free, or by donation. We will also be accepting non-perishable food items for the community food pantries.

🥬 5pm-6pm: Resource fair featuring local organizations, resources and free gardening seeds giveaway. Refreshments provided.

🍅 6pm-7pm: Film screening of inspiring short docs about local farming from Depth of Field, featuring Amara Farms, Lucky Bug Farm and Grounded Acres

🥦 7pm-8pm: Food system experts panel discussion and networking

We look forward to connecting growers with the community and building a community of growers! 👩‍🌾🥬

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Presented by .food.westside .marketplace .van and .house

In partnership with and

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriCommunication Program.

03/19/2024

March is Nutrition Month! Last week, Dieticians of Canada hosted a gathering in Vancouver exploring the role of dietitians in addressing food insecurity and presenting the Dietitians of Canada Position Statement on Household Food Insecurity in Canada. The statement asserts that dietitians have a vital role to play in addressing the causes and the consequences of household food insecurity through evidence-based advocacy and the provision of dignified, person-centred care. Read the full statement here: https://www.dietitians.ca/Advocacy/Priority-Issues-%281%29/Position-Statement-on-Household-Food-Insecurity

Ksenia Stepkina, coordinator of the Westside Food Collaborative joined the panel discussion to share community-based perspective. She argued that in order to meaningfully address household food insecurity, we must move away from relying on food-based solutions and adopt systems change approach, informed by community voices and carried out through collective action, including advocating for income policies.

03/14/2024

From connecting growers directly with eaters to turning eaters into growers - shortening the food production chain is a critical solution to the challenges of the modern food system. Westside Food Collaborative and its members, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, Farm to Plate Marketplace, Village Vancouver, and Food4Thought, in partnership with Sierra Club of BC and the National Farmers Union are hosting a free community event to help YOU play a part in supporting a sustainable and just food system, starting in your own neighbourhood. Learn about important topics such as food sovereignty, food resiliency and food sustainability, and discover local opportunities and resources to get involved! Whether you want to buy more local produce directly from farmers or grow your own food in your backyard - this event is for you!

Join us on Thursday, March 21st, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House. Register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/depth-of-field-film-screening-and-community-event-tickets-858336907797?aff=oddtdtcreator

We aim to make the event accessible to all. The event is free, or by donation. We will also be accepting non-perishable food items for the community food pantries.

5pm-6pm: Resource fair featuring local organizations, resources and free gardening seeds giveaway. Refreshments provided.

6pm-7pm: Film screening of inspiring short docs about local farming from Depth of Field, featuring Amara Farms, Lucky Bug Farm and Grounded Acres

7pm-8pm: Food system experts' panel discussion and networking

We look forward to connecting growers with the community and building a community of growers!

—
Presented by Sierra Club BC, Westside Food Collaborative, Farm to Plate Marketplace, Village Vancouver, Food4Thought and Kitsilano Neighbourhood House.

In partnership with National Farmers Union, March Forth Creative and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriCommunication Program.
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Depth of Field: Films About Farming
Depth of Field is a series of 40 short documentaries produced and presented by the National Farmers Union and March Forth Creative. The films showcase Canadian farmers and farm workers, and their sustainable farming practices on and off the land. Rotational grazing, seed saving, building healthy soils, and working for social justice– different farmers highlight their own priorities and, together, these films tell the story of farming practices that would create the food system we all want.

02/20/2024

Free and Low-Cost Community Food Resources Westside list is updated! See below or follow the link here:https://www.kitshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Free-and-Low-Cost-Community-Food-Resources-Westside-_WFC_-February-2024-.pdf

01/30/2024

Eat the rainbow! 🌈🍎🍉🍒🌶️🍊🥕🍑🌽🍌🍍🍋🍐🍏🥦🥬🥒🫑🫐🍆

Westside Food Collaborative at Family Literacy Day organized by Westside Literacy Hub representing Food Literacy!

01/16/2024

Support a Nutritional Coupon Program Fund in Canada! Sign a petition here:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4719&fbclid=IwAR3L_ST7fKoZB1fzRPAspkAtHKJ-ThRkKE4u1ycnUfcLxY4D2bchOU_BWLs

Are you familiar with the BC Farmers Markets Nutritional Coupon Program? It is a healthy eating initiative that supports farmers’ markets and strengthens food security by providing coupons to lower-income families, pregnant people and seniors. Coupons can be spent at all BCAFM member farmers’ markets that participate in the FMNCP, and can be used to purchase vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, dairy, herbs, vegetable & fruit plants, honey, meat and fish. Nutritional Coupon Program provides healthy, fresh, local, and seasonal food in a dignified way and makes a real difference in the lives of many!

Unfortunately, spaces for the coupon program are limited and most community partners are at capacity, so not everyone can enjoy the benefits.

Sign the petition encouraging the Government of Canada to create a national nutrition coupon program fund that will strengthen and grow all existing and proposed provincial and territorial farmers' markets nutrition coupon programs across Canada. https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4719&fbclid=IwAR3L_ST7fKoZB1fzRPAspkAtHKJ-ThRkKE4u1ycnUfcLxY4D2bchOU_BWLs

01/16/2024

Grow Your Own Food Course with Farmers on 57th Registration NOW OPEN! https://mailchi.mp/0ee9fb367d10/grow-your-own-food-course-registration-now-open?fbclid=IwAR0YXM1kNgA7OrltqRrJZbrXmC-WEnnMeo1pT4eTpxYlRH9yEaWbM8Ft0k8

Grow Your Own Food Course Registration NOW OPEN 🍅 - https://mailchi.mp/0ee9fb367d10/grow-your-own-food-course-registration-now-open

It’s time! Our Grow Your Own Food Course (early bird) registration is now open.

Long time professional grower and educator Alyssa Dawn will be journeying with you over the course of the season, along with a community of like-minded individuals in a close-knit cohort as you discover the joy of growing your own food. Details in link.

01/16/2024

Event alert! Learn more and register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/succession-soup-community-conversation-tickets-791642262317?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_term=Succession+Soup%3A+Community+Conversation&aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&utm_experiment=follow_template.B

Build a dried soup kit and share stories about gardening and culture as we dive into “succession planting,” an agricultural practice that increases crop availability over the growing season.

Join the February 22nds workshop where MOV's Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Viviane Gosselin will introduce the MOV and UBC’s Backyard Garden exhibit while UBC Research Assistant Cat Hung, will lead the discussion and workshop.

Bring items from your own garden OR favourite soup ingredients to share with the group for a discounted ticket!

Register here: https://museumofvancouver.ca/succession-soup

12/22/2023

Happy Holidays from Westside Food Collaborative!

As the year draws to a close, we would like to take the opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude for all the incredible work of the members and partners of WFC towards the vision of a sustainable and just food system in the Westside! Whether supporting local food production, improving food distribution, providing reliable access to free and low-cost food resources, reducing food waste and everything in between – their tireless efforts make a world of a difference for many in our community during these increasingly challenging times. Thank you for coming together and being open to collaboration, forming partnerships, generously sharing knowledge and resources and supporting one another in many creative ways. We look forward to building on the momentum in the upcoming year towards meaningful and sustainable impact, together!

10/05/2023

Food For All: Seniors Food Security in the Westside Community Dialogue Final Report is here! 🍉 https://www.kitshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Seniors-Food-Security-Westside-2023-_-Community-Dialogue-Report_Final.pdf

Food For All: Seniors Food Security in the Westside community dialogue was hosted in March 2023 to hear first-hand perspectives of older adults experiencing food insecurity in the Westside. Co-led by Westside Food Collaborative and Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, with the generous support of United Way of BC, the conversation aimed to better understand in order to effectively address the unique needs of seniors in the Westside of Vancouver. Dialogue participants had a chance to review the preliminary results at the feedback session in August. The final report, Food For All: Seniors Food Security in the Westside, co-authored by Ksenia Stepkina and Karen Giesbrecht, is now available.

Given the growing senior population in Canada, addressing food insecurity for those 65 and older is a critical public health issue. In order to develop effective, evidence-based programs and policy solutions to seniors’ food insecurity, it is critical to center community voices of those directly affected by the issue. We hope the findings and recommendations of this report will inspire many productive conversations and lead to meaningful action as we work collaboratively on addressing food insecurity among the senior population in the Westside and beyond. The work is just getting started, but this is a significant milestone worth celebrating!

We extend a big thank you to Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, United Way of BC, as well as the City of Vancouver's Sustainable Food Systems Grant for making this meaningful work possible! house