Speaker: Zahra Parvinian Session: Thinking Outside the Boxes - Strengthening Food Box and Community Supported Agriculture Programs in Ontario

1. Good$Healthy$Food$for$All!$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

2. Reaching$155,000$children$
and$adults$across$Toronto$
every$month.$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

3. FoodShare is a United Way
Member Agency.
We value and prioritize:
- Universal models
- Long-term solutions
- Community Development
Partnerships
- Social Enterprise
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

4. Cooking$healthy,$affordable$
culturally$sensiDve$food$and$
breaking$down$social$isolaDon.$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

5. Community Kitchens and Community Meals as Social Cohesion
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

6. Field&to&Table&Catering&creates$healthy,$delicious,$culturally$diverse$food$for$local$
community$organizaDons,$events$and$private$funcDons.$All$the$food$cooked$in$FoodShare$
kitchens$reflects$our$commitment$to$healthy$eaDng,$the$environment,$and$local$farmers.$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

7. A$mulDfaceted$
approach$to$returning$
healthy$food$and$Food$
Literacy$to$schools.$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

8. Field to Table Schools
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO
Good Healthy Food for All!

9. Food Literacy education
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

10. FoodShare and the Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition
facilitate 720 Student Nutrition programs in which 144,000
kids eat healthy snacks and meals daily
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO
Good Healthy Food for All!

11. Growing$bounDes,$culDvaDng$
knowledge$and$skills$that$
build$healthy$communiDes.$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

12. Community Food Animation and Urban Agriculture
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO
Good Healthy Food for All!

13. ConnecDng$families$and$communiDes$
with$affordable$culturally$diverse$
fresh$vegetables$and$fruit.$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

14. Fresh Produce
Over 4000 boxes are
delivered each month to
over 180 volunteer-run drop
off sites throughout Toronto
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

15. FoodShare&Principles:&
1. Delicious,$healthy,$$$
affordable,$culturally$
appropriate$
2. Local$and$Seasonal$
wherever$possible$
3. Organic$if$it$is$the$same$
price$
4. Fair$Trade$
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

16. Mobile&and&&
Good&Food&Markets!
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO

17. Back to Northern reserve goes bananas for fresh produce from Ontario Food Terminal
Back to Northern reserve goes bananas for fresh produce from Ontario Food Terminal
February 23, 2012
February 23, 2012
Northern reserve goes bananas for fresh produce
Northern reserve goes bananas for fresh produce
from Ontario Food Terminal
from Ontario Food Terminal
Jennifer Bain
Jennifer Bain
On Friday afternoon, weather permitting, a subsidized skid of fresh fruits and
On Friday afternoon,Ontario Food Terminalsubsidized skidfinish a three-day
vegetables from the weather permitting, a is expected to of fresh fruits and
vegetables from train and plane to the Fort Albany First Nation a three-day
journey by truck, the Ontario Food Terminal is expected to finishnear James
journey by truck, train and plane to the Fort Albany First Nation near James
Bay.
Bay.
The food — mangos, kiwis, potatoes, rutabagas, avocados, bananas and
The foodwill be drivenkiwis, potatoes, rutabagas, avocados, bananas and
more — — mangos, to the Peetabeck Academy school cafeteria and sold
more 30 minutes to a community ravenous for fresh, healthy, affordable
within— will be driven to the Peetabeck Academy school cafeteria and sold
within
food. 30 minutes to a community ravenous for fresh, healthy, affordable
food.
Prices will be about half those at the only grocery store in town, thanks to an
Prices will be about half thosethethe only grocery Foodshare, a non-profit an
unusual relationship between at community and store in town, thanks to
unusual relationship between the community and Foodshare, a non-profit
group that tackles food and hunger issues in Toronto.
group that tackles food and hunger issues in Toronto.
When Fort Albany made a heartfelt plea to join Foodshare’s fresh bulk
When Fort Albanylast fall, the groupplea to join board of directors for an
produce program made a heartfelt went to its Foodshare’s fresh bulk
produce program last fall, the group went to its board of directors for an
exemption from its mandate to serve only the 416 portion of Toronto.
exemption from its mandate to serve only the 416 portion of Toronto.
Foodshare's Good Food Program manager Jackson Foster packs apples, garlic
and Yukon Gold potatoes in Toronto for the Jackson Foster packs apples, garlic
Foodshare's Good Food Program manager Fort Albany First Nation.
and Yukon Gold potatoes in Toronto forNICK KOZAK FOR THE TORONTO STAR
the Fort Albany First Nation.
NICK KOZAK FOR THE TORONTO STAR
“This is our one exception because it so highlights the disaster of poor food access in the north and how changeable it is,” says Foodshare’s
“This is our one exception Field. “We thought, from the disasterpoint-of-view,access in the bit we and how changeable it is,” says Foodshare’s
executive director Debbie because it so highlights a symbolic of poor food that the little north could do to help would raise that issue.”
executive director Debbie Field. “We thought, from a symbolic point-of-view, that the little bit we could do to help would raise that issue.”
Fort Albany is 450 kilometers north of Timmins, Ont., on the southern shore of a river that feeds into James Bay. The community of 900 is
Fort Albany is 450 kilometers north offew months that on thea winter ice road. Itahas three aisles of food within its The community two
only accessible by air, except for the Timmins, Ont., it has southern shore of river that feeds into James Bay. Northern store, of 900 is
only accessible by air, bars and the restaurant.
convenience store/gas except forone few months that it has a winter ice road. It has three aisles of food within its Northern store, two
convenience store/gas bars and one restaurant.
People still eat wild fish, game and berries, and have been experimenting with alternative ways to access food, including creating backyard
People still eat wild fish, game and farmers’ and haveand buying food from with alternative ways Timmins. But when it comes to fresh food,
gardens, raising chickens, running berries, markets been experimenting Cochrane, Ont., and to access food, including creating backyard
gardens, raising chickens, running farmers’ markets and buying food from Cochrane, Ont., and Timmins. But when it comes to fresh food,
prices are high and selection is low.
prices are high and selection is low.
“The people at Foodshare are so passionate about what they do and it’s great to have a partner like that,” says Gigi Veeraraghavan, a
“The people at Foodshare are security committee. “We’ve just do and it’s great to have a the quality of the food we’re Veeraraghavan, a —
member of Fort Albany’s food so passionate about what they been really excited about partner like that,” says Gigi getting from them
member of Fort course.”
and the price, ofAlbany’s food security committee. “We’ve just been really excited about the quality of the food we’re getting from them —
and the price, of course.”
At the Northern store this week, Veeraraghavan spotted a 10-pound bag of white potatoes for $14.99, a 3-pound bag of McIntosh apples for
At the Northern store this week, Veeraraghavan$7.48. When Friday’sbag of white shipment arrives, sheaand fellowbag of McIntosh apples for
$10.19, and a 6-ounce bag of baby spinach for spotted a 10-pound Foodshare potatoes for $14.99, 3-pound volunteer Joan
$10.19, and 6-ounce bag of amount of potatoes for $6, apples for Foodshare shipment arrives, she and fellow volunteer Joan
Metatawabinawill sell the samebaby spinach for $7.48. When Friday’s$2 and spinach for $2.
Metatawabin will sell the same amount of potatoes for $6, apples for $2 and spinach for $2.
This will be Fort Albany’s third Foodshare order.
This will be Fort Albany’s third Foodshare order.
In December, the community bought 16 kinds of fruits and vegetables for $1,069.45. It cost $348.20 to truck the food from Toronto to
In December, the community bought 16 to Moosonee, and vegetablesto fly it to Fort Albany. $348.20 to truck the food from Toronto to Food
Cochrane, $258.54 to put it on the train kinds of fruits
$1,107.23 for $1,069.45. It cost There was a modest 5 per cent “Northern
Cochrane, $258.54 to put it on the while federal Nutrition North Canada it to Fort Albany. of $1,002.43 of the 5 per cent “Northern end,
Fund” administrative fee of $46.93,train toaMoosonee, and $1,107.23 to fly subsidy took careThere was a modestchartered flight. In theFood
Fund” administrative fee of was shipped a federal Nutrition North Canada subsidy took care of $1,002.43 of the chartered flight. In the end,
the food cost $1827.92 and$46.93, while for a reasonable 42 cents a pound.
the food cost $1827.92 and was shipped for a reasonable 42 cents a pound.
The food was sold to the community at wholesale plus the cost of transportation. In January and February, people experimented with 26
The food was and vegetables, includingwholesale plus kiwis, eggplants and chard. January and February, people experimented with 26
kinds of fruits sold to the community at garlic, ginger, the cost of transportation. In
kinds of fruits and vegetables, including garlic, ginger, kiwis, eggplants and chard.
Most of the first shipment was pre-sold in 40 Good Food Boxes. For January and February, it’s being sold at the school-based farmers’
Most of the first shipment was pre-sold in 40 Good Food Boxes. For January and February, it’s being sold at the school-based farmers’
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO
By&truck,&train&and&plane&to&&
Fort&Albany&

18. Bulk&Fresh&Produce&for&Schools&and&Community&Agencies&
www.foodshare.net | @FoodShareTO