Good Food Network Progress Report 2020
GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS CONTENTS | T R O P E R K R O W T E N D O O F D O O G 03 08 06 05 04 02 01 09 12 11 Youth Food Network • Justice & Belonging Food Literacy Committee • School Food Collaborative 2020 Continued Initiatives Land Acknowledgement The GoodFoodNetwork Food Economy•LiteracyAccess Progress Highlights • FarmpreneurEconomicRecoveryPlan Kitchen •SEEDTheCityBio-diversity Zine Palenke Greens•ShelbourneCommunity Stories ofImpact ggR Growing Together•SouthIslandFarmHub New Initiatives New 2020 Metrics The 2025GoodFoodGoals Video • A word from Alex Harned The GoodFoodLeaders 2021 Priorities•FinalWord Conclusion Significant ContributionAward. Food Literacy,Access,Local Economy& Good FoodChampions Key 2020 AccomplishmentsacrosstheNetwork Network Bounty O F N I . K R O W T E N D O O F D O O G . W W W
ALL ABOUT THE GOOD FOOD NETWORK
Seeded with the values of collective action and community, the Good Food Network, formalized in 2015, has flourished into a regional system of organizations, communities, non-profits, grassroots initiatives, teachers, researchers, health promoters, local government, planners, and farmers working towards a shared vision for a healthy, sustainable and more equitable food system in the Capital Region. Over the past five years, the network has grown to over 2000 members committed to accomplishing the collaborative Good Food 2025 collective impact strategy. The Good Food 2025 strategy is divided into three impact areas, each with varying strategic goals around Healthy Food Access, Food Literacy, and the Local Food Economy.
The 2020 pandemic has created collective challenges and shown the discrepancies and cracks in the local, regional and national food system. The aim of this report is to give an update on the initiatives, projects and collaborations that happened across the network in 2020 while highlighting the resilience and action that the community
displayed despite the crisis.
From baking bread to seed sharing to local food hubs, this GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS year is proof of the essential need to continue strengthening our network and food system around the values of reciprocity and community care. LAND et invo ACKNOWLEDGEMENT G lve Colonialism has suppressed local well-being by d harming Indigenous food systems, whether they be land-based or of the sky and sea. As the a damaging effects of colonial food systems n The Good Food Network continue, we must all intentionally work to d reconsider our relationships with each other, and the land and waters of this region. We honour the
goodfoodnetwork.info c stewards of these lands, including the people, youthfoodnetwork.com
o plants and animals, who have an intimate
n knowledge of the foods of this land. We hold n them up for the work they continuously do to
protect and connect with the land. CRFAIR and the @goodfoodsummit e
@capregfair Good Food Network are located on unceded c
t Coast Salish Territories*, specifically of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Esquimalt Nations) and W̱ SÁNEĆ (Tsartlip/W̱ JOȽEȽP, Tseycum/WSIḴEM, Tsawout/SȾÁUTW, and Pauquachin/BO EĆEN Nations).
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 1 WATCH THE GOOD VIDEO FOOD LEADERS
"Prior to the pandemic, the Good Food Network Leadership Collaboration is not all roses all the time; it can be messy, Group was navigating how to engage initiatives forwarding and in reality, it takes time to build trust. Moreover, priority areas of the Good Food 2025. However, once the collaboration isn’t the only motivator, honestly. The gravity of COVID-19 set in (and the uncertainty to what collective power harbored by a harrowing fear of a severity this would impact our local food system), the focus climate crisis paired with a global pandemic is a poignant of the leadership group quickly shifted to create and propeller. disseminate essential information to the wider public regarding emergency food and ways to support the viability The pandemic tests how prepared (or ill prepared) we are of the local food economy. The GFN leadership group’s role when faced with sudden shifts and looming shortages to became clear -- our ability to tap into what is happening on our food system. It has shed light on the compounded the ground and share it widely is powerful. fragility of the industrial food system. Extensive job loss and major changes to the financial sustainability of GFN Leadership monthly meetings shifted to weekly virtual communities will continue to drastically affect levels of check-ins. ‘Rapid-fire’ style updates were shared by the food insecurity. It solidifies the need for a regional food collective, and new programs and collaborations emerged. If strategy so we can continue to grow, track, monitor and two or three organizations were trying to achieve the same advocate for a resilient and equitable local food system. goal, they joined forces and began planning. This level of pure synapse-firing collaboration was exhilarating! There was The next challenge we face is how to sustain the mindset a palpable energy in the air whereby a barrier or problem was elicited by the pandemic (of turning fear into innovation met with a collective, “What can I do? How can I help?” Many and action), so that we may continue to widen our gaze impactful, regional and local partnerships materialized. and focus our action from a ‘food’ issue to a human rights issue; to advocate for affordable, fresh, healthy food as a human right for everyone, to fight for migrant The ‘collaboration buzz’ spurred far beyond the screens of worker’s rights, to giving land back, to democratize and the GFN Leadership group. By taking a step back and embed (food) sovereignty at the core of all our systems. observing the emergent programming and local champions stepping up across the region, historically under-represented voices were centered. Supporting, funding and prioritizing initiatives that focused on the needs of disenfranchised communities -- whereby the vision, goal and methods are tailored for community, by community -- (i.e. ŚW̱ ,ȻENEṈITEL, Palenke Greens & Produce Boxes, the Red Cedar Cafe, etc.), produced profoundly meaningful and crack-in-the- ALEX HARNED | hegemonic-food-system results. 2020 Good Food Leaders Co-chair, Food Systems Coordinator City of Vcitoria
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 2 Good Food 2025 is a regional collective impact initiative focused on three main areas: Food Literacy, Food Access and Equity, and the Local Food Economy. The Community Social Planning Council 2025 GOOD and CRFAIR are working towards developing a framework to monitor progress towards reaching these outcomes and targets within the Capital Regional District (CRD). Through a collaborative FOOD GOALS process with the network and community, detailed indicators have been developed to track regional progress across impact areas.
THE VALUE OF SHARED REGIONAL OUTCOMES
Alignment: Shared regional Capacity: Shared regional Advocacy: The indicator indicators can help multiple indicators can help process is also key to organizations across the support organizations that regional advocacy; it can be food sector come together have limited capacity to a process for discussing and align for impact and collect data for monitoring what we are trying to progress towards and evaluating. accomplish. measurable outcomes.
FOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY FOOD LITERACY Target: The number of Target: The number of households who report households in the CRD who that they are food insecure report growing or accessing drops by 25% from 14% of healthy, local, and households in 2012 to 10% traditional food steadily by 2025 decreasing food increases from 23% in 2014 insecurity. to 46% by 2025.
LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY
Target: Local food sourced for the Capital Region increases from less than 10% of total food consumption in 2011 to 25% by 2025.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW METRICS FRAMEWORK
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 3 2020 CONTINUED COLLABORATIONS FOOD LITERACY SCHOOL FOOD SHIFT STEERING COLLABORATIVE
SEED THE CITY, 2020 COMMITTEE The Food Literacy Steering Committee The School Food Shift Collaborative is a continued to support networking group of organizations leading efforts at opportunities for sharing promising the community level in partnership with practices and research to align efforts school, health and food production more strategically for greater impact. sectors to improve school food Supporting Food Literacy efforts in the environments. In 2020, the collaborative region as the pandemic began, the supported the development of the committee was able to develop a seven- Healthy School Food Framework as well part webinar series hosted bi-weekly as progressed collaborative goals discussing topics ranging from food towards Healthy School Food waste to restaurants to growing food at Environments, outlined in the 2020 home. The committee also coordinated School Food Shift Progress Report. The the Food Literacy session at the 2020 participating organizations are CRFAIR, Good Food Summit. 2021 Priorities include Farm to School BC, Island Health, Food the Food Security Connections Video Share Network and LifeCycles. 2021 project whereby individuals who have priorities include support of the Coalition faced food insecurity share their for Healthy School Food and leveraging experiences, and the development of the resources and capacity for school garden Food Literacy Metrics. development. ŚW̱ ,ȻENEṈITEL TEAM (Rose, Tiffany, Shiloh & Kati) YOUTH FOOD NETWORK
The Youth Food Network has focused on the development of the Youth Food JUSTICE & BELONGING Justice group. This group is focused on developing advocacy skills for youth to ADVOCATE promote food security in their communities. Since October 2020, the group has In 2020, Lajah Warren, CRFAIR's Youth had monthly check-ins, workshops with local food leaders, and is developing Network Coordinator, began her work as community-based actions focused on their learnings in the community. They Justice and Belonging Advocate. In this have also had leadership opportunities within food-related committees and role, Lajah supports the organization by volunteer opportunities. The Youth Food Network has also created a podcast ensuring that CRFAIR programming and that prioritizes the voices of local youth working on food related initiatives. The initiatives are rooted in promoting podcast, "Sprouting Conversations" has reached 670 subscribers to this date, and belonging within just and equitable has published eight episodes. Moving forward, the Network hopes to connect spaces grounded on decolonial practices. land-based healing in their programming and develop a mentorship program for Lajah advocates and makes space for the youth and local food leaders. voices of BIPOC and marginalized communities, ensuring that CRFAIR honors and continually works towards its commitment to centering justice and belonging in their work.
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 4 GROWING TOGETHER As the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity, disconnected and isolated communities from resources, and impacted access to local and healthy foods, the Growing Together initiative sought to Watch mitigate some of the harmful effects of the Video COVID-19 crisis. Growing Together is a collaboration between 20+ organizations across Coast Salish Territory with a goal of
supporting people learning how to grow their GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS own food. Intersecting with the 2025 goals of increased Food Literacy and Food COMMUNITY PROJECTS Access, the project in 2020, connected 115+ people with mentors, created informative how-to garden videos with local experts, dispersed food plants to over 300 seniors in Saanich and supported the City of Victoria’s initiative ‘Get Growing, Victoria!’ which grew over 81,000 plants. LEARN MORE @growing.together.apart
THE SOUTH ISLAND FARMHUB The South Island FarmHub was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help farmers and communities alike as shifting local and global food and economic systems were rocked by the crisis. Watch As farmers lost valuable buyers with restaurants closing in March, communities were simultaneously Video
facing increased levels of food insecurity and inaccessibility to local and healthy foods. The SI FarmHub was developed in response to these two intersecting interests in a win-win situation made possible with an injection of funding from the Rapid Release Fund. By developing infrastructure for aggregation and distribution of local food, local "I DIDN'T QUITE BELIEVE WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED... [THE SOUTH farmers were able to continue distributing their ISLAND FARMHUB] WAS A REAL products to new markets including Schools and LIFESAVER FOR OUR FARM" Charities, and home deliveries. As we head into 2021, the SI FarmHub will continue to provide this - MARY ALICE, ALM FARMS vital service for communities, organizations and farmers. LEARN MORE @southislandfarmhub NEW INITIATIVES
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 5 Palenke Food Literacy Greens Seed the City is a program for high school students where they gain work experience in gardening and farming, earn credits towards graduation, and become part of the local food movement in their city. During this 8- week summer program, students build community and transferable skills through growing and selling food that is produced on school grounds, and participating in field trips and workshops at local farms. Through this program, students in the Greater Victoria School District are eligible to receive high school course
STORIES OF IMPA C T credits.In 2020, Seed the City continued it's programing for it's Recognizing the pandemic had second year and engaged 11 high exacerbated systemic pressures for school students in growing, cooking, many BIPOC communities, who and selling vegetables grown on have been historically under- school grounds. This project is a represented in local food systems' partnership between LifeCycles, food security initiatives, Iyé Creative TOPSOIL Innovative Urban took bold action and launched Agriculture, and the Greater Victoria Palenke Greens, an educational School District. initiative wherein over 54 burlap sack gardens were created, and delivered to individuals across the region. The project inspired the Watch development of the Palenke video Produce Box program which provided 2,200 pounds of fresh, locally-grown produce, and locally crafted canned products from October-December to community STORIES OF IMPA C T members facing food insecurity, and barriers to healthy and culturally appropriate foods. Iyé Creative mobilized in community through an inspiring commitment to community care and collective action, prioritizing the stories and voices of Black, Indigenous and marginalized folks. Iyé Creative supports a re-connection to the land and a revitalization and reclamation of ancestral practices.
Food Access Seed the City GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS | P A G E 6 Food Security
The Shelbourne Community Kitchen’s mission is to create opportunities for people living on a low income to cook, grow, share and connect for improved health and wellbeing. During the 2020 COVID Pandemic, the urgent Food
Support Fund raised close to $20,000 going directly to funding the Pantry program, a food support program vital in distributing nutritious food to those who need it. The program began distributing food to 70 people twice a month, increased the amount of staple foods; offering healthy drink and snack packs for people experiencing homelessness; STORIES OF IMPA C T and expanded the home delivery system BioDiversity is a zine that teaches all to support the most vulnerable ages about the history of selected members who could not leave their Black and Indigenous ecological homes, many of whom are seniors or stewards. These stewards have individuals with chronic illness. The worked in the industries of soil health, Shelbourne Community Kitchen also environmental activism, plant distributed important information about knowledge and more. The zine, program updates, government subsidies created by Zoë-Blue Coates, explains Food and emerging community resources via the role of ecological stewards, and email, social media and in print. Literacy highlights BIPOC stewards from around the world. This educational Source: Shelbourne Community Kitchen, 2020 tool is critical to Food Justice and
Food Literacy efforts in the region, STORIES OF IMPA C T acting as an accessible tool to explain themes of ecological stewardship and Food Justice to children. Zoë-Blue works as the site and education assistant at the Compost Education Centre. The centre teaches all ages about the importance of soil health.
Download the Zine
GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS | P A G E 7
Local Food Economy
Approved by the District of North Saanich in 2020, the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture has begun work on the 83 acres of land to support and foster future farmers while strengthening the local food supply and enhancing food
STORIES OF IMPA C T biodiversity. Sandown has launched the Farmpreneur program, a supported incubator plot program that provides The Rising Economy Taskforce was emerging growers with access to land, launched on April 16, 2020 - in total, shared infrastructure and ongoing more than 120 people came together mentorship. The team received 28 to focus energy on key topics and eager applicants, a telling sign of the priority areas. The economic recovery demand of this type of program in the plan outlines recommendations within region. Sandown's current focus areas food system work among other and priorities are wetlands and water sectors including supporting testing, forest steward program and agritourism through the Flavour Trails fencing and livestock. You can learn program, enhancing promotion of more here. buying local food, creating consortium organizations to aggregate suppliers
to build resilience, and increase funds STORIES OF IMPA C T available for the BuyBC program to help program partners shift consumer behaviours to local markets. To learn more about the Taskforce and read the recommendations click here.
Local Food Economy
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Progress Highlights Local Food Economy |
Vancouver Island Agriculture & South Island FarmHub With the dedication of local First Nations, including the Homalco, Climate Change Regional aggregates and distributed Klahoose, K’ómoks, Kwaikah, Adaptation Strategies series over $250,000 of local food Tla’amin, We Wai Kai and Wei Wai 2020 is released outlining a from famers to schools, Kum First Nations Federal series of adaptation strategies community organizations, Government announces 18-month and climate action goals for charities & community phase out of fish farms in Discovery Vancouver Island. members. Islands.
Learn More Learn More Learn More
Progress Highlights Food Access & Equity |
$151,870 raised by Mustard Seed serves Red Cedar Cafe launches in Fernwood NRG Gift of 501,000+ meals for April 2020 to provide healthy, Good Food Fundraiser. individuals experiencing tasty, affordable meals to Supporting 303 families homelessness and Food seniors, people in self- with 83528 lbs of produce. Insecurity in Victoria. isolation and other people in need.
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GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 9 Progress Highlights Food Literacy|
1000 pounds of vegetables W̱ SÁNEĆ Ethnobotany Trail & Growing Together creates were produced by students Restoration Project, a partnership a 24 video series with local through the Seed the City project between PEPÁḴEṈ farmers and growers to HÁUTW̱ and the Horticulture Program on two school-yard teach basic gardening Centre of the Pacific (HCP) micro-farms (July - August) skills to the community. connects land, language and 2020. learning.
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NETWORK BOUNTY | HIGHLIGHTS
Online engagement grew by 30%
1700+ have signed the good food resolution.
Over a $1.2 million generated for Good Food Network collaborative initiatives with $360,000 (approximately 30% going directly to BIPOC LED initiatives)
The Good Food Network created weekly COVID-19 briefs sent to 70 government and emergency response agencies to discuss the impacts of the pandemic on food insecurity in region.
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 9 GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 1 0 PALENKEPalenke AmarjitAMARJIT GREENS OOD CHAM DHARIWAL FOOD LITERACYGreens F PI DhaliwalLOCAL FOOD ECONOMY D O OO NS Ariel Reyes Anutan G South Island FarmHub and Jess Reyes nominated Amarjit Barton: creators of Iyé Dhariwal of Oceanview Creative and Palenke Estates for a Good Food Greens - Palenke Champion award. Amarjit Greens is a new has been a supporter of initiative that provided creating a robust local burlap sac gardens, food economy for many and now CSA food years. boxes, to people of colour within the He is always willing to Greater Victoria area, attend meetings such as encouraging people to Farmer Focus Groups, grow their own food, Vision Viewfield and was learning food literacy an anchor farmer for skills while building Closing the Supply Gap community. Demonstration Project. Farmhub is especially grateful for his generosity in offering his farm as the Saanich aggregation point for South Island Farmhub.
Rudi is recognized for La Teranga Culturally making a significant Relevant Food Baskets - contribution to the goals this new project from the of the Good Food African Arts and Cultural Network, from Contribution Society, has supporting greater been distributing access to healthy food, culturally appropriate to supporting local farm food baskets weekly, viability to advancing since the start of the critical work to pandemic, to 120+ black decolonize and create families of African new pathways for trust descent in the Greater based philanthropy Victoria area. The through the baskets are individually ŚW̱ ,ȻENEṈITEL RUDI LA tailored, depending on indigenous foods WALLACE TERANGA where that recipient is initiative . from, providing them food ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOOD ACCESS from their homeplace.
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | P A G E 1 1
2021| Highlights Going Forward
Exploration of a regional food policy council Expansion of training opportunities and partnerships to advance equity Pilot metrics framework- testing indicators Climate change roundtable Closing the Supply Gap Symposiums to propel food systems development and leadership Explore ways to increase income security in region increase communications about our work to all decision makers and stakeholders in the region
A FINAL WORD FROM THE INCOMING GOOD FOOD LEADERS CHAIR
"As a relative newcomer to the Good Food Leadership group, I have been very impressed with their demonstrated adaptability in a rapidly shifting landscape. In my role as incoming co-chair I look forward to building on these successes. In 2021, we hope to address the need for a Regional Food Policy Council as a way to support essential policy development that fosters a vibrant and healthy local food system. The pandemic has clearly exposed the depth of food insecurity in our communities. Through education and advocacy, we will call for income solutions to food insecurity as the most effective way to support Canada’s legal obligation under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to “respect, protect and fulfil the right et invol to food”. And we will seek to imbed values and G ve actions in our food work to actualize true diversity, d equity and inclusion. I look forward to sharing this a journey towards food justice with you all." The Good Food Network n d Joan Stonehocker | Executive Director Lifecycles goodfoodnetwork.info Project Society, Good Food Leaders Co-Chair youthfoodnetwork.com c
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT @goodfoodsummit n
CRFAIR , THE COORDINATING BODY OF @capregfair e
THE GOOD FOOD NETWORK AT c
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