zc Annual Report

2017-2018 3 Our Mission Contents To get kids excited about wholesome, healthy food!

Letter from the Board Chair and Our Vision To build and maintain a healthy, empowered Executive Director 3 community that is engaged with our food system The School Project 4 - 10 Community Programming 11 Volunteer Recognition 12 Word from the Kitchen 13 Our Goals Our Core Values Our Social Enterprises 14-15 To provide an avenue for Chefs Community and growers to get more involved To engage, strengthen and Financials 16 in the community and to support support communities in their Partner Profiles 17 food education ongoing conversations around food Our Team 18-19 To provide children with the Thank You! 20 confidence, knowledge and Food enthusiasm to grow and prepare To celebrate the positive change good, healthy cuisine that we can create through food

To support and encourage the Health development and growth of To foster healthy bodies food education for children and and minds through positive families relationships with food

In the last decade of program delivery, Growing Chefs! has seen the impacts of Photos by: food and food education first-hand. Cooking develops and encourages many Phoebe Say, Maddy Say important skills in areas of math, science, history, geography, literacy, art and more. and Jonathon Linton

Understanding how and where food grows, how food interacts with our senses, Design by: Gabe Ramos the history of different foods and techniques, the names that we give to food, and how food relates to our own lifestyles and cultures are all important to child development. Letter from our Board Chair and Executive Director

Ten Years!! Our achievements from this As we look ahead to next the past year belong to the year, we are excited to have a It was never meant to go this far – amazing Growing Chefs! team of new Strategic Plan in place to yet here we are! dedicated staff. We repeatedly help guide us to achieving the witnessed them challenge ultimate goal of self-sustaining In April 2008 the Growing Chefs! themselves and push the limits of operations. We hope to see you program was first adapted for two what this organization is capable and celebrate together at our London classrooms (60 children) of! Jen, Becca, Katherine, the 10th birthday party this fall, or at and Chefs Andrew Wolwowicz Chris’, Ryan, Sheri, the Phoebes’, another event along the way. and Jason Shubert first explained Maddy, Lena, Jenn, Shar, Stephen, Happy eating everyone! the “proper” ratio of oil and acid Leah, Marianne, Marisa, Noelle, in a vinaigrette to a grade 3 class. Jonathon and Jay – THANK YOU! Now, a decade later, over 20,000 - Spencer and Andrew people in London and surrounding You inspire us more than you area have interacted with Growing know! It has been truly exciting Chefs! programming. It is to watch your work unfold as you staggering. Exciting. Amazing. have actualized ideas that we never dreamed possible. We are This past year has been a so eager to see what you have in Spencer Sandor whirlwind of new challenges and store for the coming years! opportunities. With every single President & one, the Growing Chefs! team and Of course, none of the work Board Chair the amazing London community Growing Chefs! does would have come together and risen to be remotely possible without the occasion. Whether designing the thousands of volunteers, incredible new programs (HQ Field community partners, funders, Trips, Agri-Education Week at The friends and guests whom Andrew Fleet Western Fair District, Know Your have come to our events and Roots Summer Camp) or improving fundraisers over the years. To Executive Director our existing programs, this is the everyone who has helped in some & Co-Founder year that the Growing Chefs! way to get us to this point, we say family truly carried this organization thank you. to the next level. z oo l Pro h jec Sc t

Agri- In Schol Education Week

Fresh HQ Fod Field Trips Frenzy! Family 5000+ Activity students participated in Night the 2017-18 7School Project The School Project encompasses 5 program streams In Schol 4 The Growing Chefs! team delivers programming to the entire school, grades K-8, visiting each class twice during the school year.

My students have been “ extremely excited about food and food prep since you came to our classes. Our library had one copy of a children’s recipe book; they now do a weekly draw to see who will bring it home. They’ve tried to make up their own recipes, explored fractions through recipes and talked incessantly about getting their own cookbook from you soon. THANK YOU for bringing ; this program to our school. Grade 1 Teacher ” students from 6 schools St. Anthony’s Catholic School 2200+ participated this past year! 1 Growing Chefs! Ontario invites Fresh individual grade 1-3 classes on a 350+students made field trip to visit the Covent Garden 7 personal Fod 6Farmers’ Market. Students explore connections to the market, connect with local food producers at farmers, purchase ingredients, then Frenzy! the Covent Garden make and share a delicious three Farmers’ Market. course lunch in the Market Kitchen. Family Activity Night

Family Activity Nights -are school community events that include several different age- appropriate activities where students, their parents and their friends prepare a feast the entire group (100-150 people) shares!

800+people

Family Activity6 Nights 9 h Feedback from HQ classrom teachers: Field Trips The entire experience was well designed “ and executed and provided an extremely valuable and memorable learning experience for our students. Experiential learning experiences such as the one you provide are engaging and bring the learning to life. So much better than textbook learning! ” Every student in our class said they tried at “ least one food item they had never eaten before! ” The themes of sustainability, and reduced environmental impact fit well with our Students visit HQ, take part in “ Geography studies. Ideas about freshness grade-appropriate interactive and quality of local foods tied in well to cooking activities and witness our unit on nutrition. the entire food system in action, from production to ” consumption and beyond! The So many small moments! Students getting field trip culminates with the “ to be hands-on in the kitchen working students sharing a meal they together and knowing where the food have had a hand in preparing. came from was magical! And icing on ; the cake was to get to enjoy the meal all together in the end! I want to come with a class every single year! students engaged in the food ” system through interactive Parent volunteers agree with teachers - programming at HQ 4 1500+ “Best field trip ever!” Piloted project this year to host students from grades 6-8 at the Western Fair Agri-Plex to get up close and personal with 0 the food system and truly learn about farm to fork! Western Fair District Agri-Education 8Feedback from students: Week

Learning about egg farms and dairy “ farms was fascinating… my favourite part was seeing the chickens and cows right in front of me. I have never seen one before.

- Student, Grade 7 ”

It was really cool how interactive the “ field trip was and being able to pet the animals.

- Student, Grade 6 ”

Thank you so much for the opportunity “ to learn about cooking, chickens and cows. The food we made was soooooo good! - Student, Grade 6 ” PAGE* The School Project is possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:

Logos Needed - Growing Know Communities Your Rots We continued partnerships with dozens We held our inaugural summer camp of community agencies and brought program and provided 2 weeks of food education programming to affordable, fun and educational children, families and community activities. Happy members across London and the campers all around! surrounding area.

community2100+ members participated in 1Growing Commmunities programming Londoners attended2000+ community events where last year! we provided healthy, affordable food options.9

Our Community-Based Programs Volunteer Recognition

More than 75 active and engaged volunteers, invested over 400 hours in program delivery, hosting events, 4 fundraising and being our Community Champions!

Thank you to our dedicated team of volunteers! You are priceless!

Without you we simply could not deliver programming on the scale that we do! Your diverse food knowledge 4 inspires our lesson planning and encourages our program participants! We look to you to continue to provide us with your insights and feedback to help us continue to grow and improve.

Get involved!

We have an online application, which we then follow up with an orientation session and on-the-job training 4 and mentorship with an experienced volunteer or staff member. Your unique skills and interests are in demand! All gardening, cooking, administrative, fundraising, hospitality and marketing gurus welcome!!! d 4 Word From z Kitchen G G The Beet Café

When the Beet Café first started, we were serving 140 meals out of a residential sized kitchen with The word from Chris Large: two home ovens. Now, just four years later we I have been working in the hospitality industry have a commercial facility and supply up to 350 since I was 15, at a multitude of different meals each day (more than 27,000 last year!) “ restaurants from fast food and chain restaurants to hungry students across London. All Beet Café to large scale food providers. I have never felt lunches are made from scratch, using the freshest more pleased with the quality and locality of the local and seasonal ingredients we can get our products and people I am serving. FUN FACT: hands on. I had never seen how brussel sprouts grew until After the lunch service has ended each day, coming on-board with Growing Chefs! Ontario. the Beet team continue to work in support of the Growing Chefs! Education Projects. The Beet Café is the foundation from which our educational ” programming runs. Although meals made in The word from Chris St. Laurent: The Beet Café are only sold at cost, with no Cooking has always been an interest to me. profit margin, they cover the operational cost “ I joined the industry at 17 working at a snack of the kitchen itself. This allows our Education bar where I fell in love with the pace of the Programming to operate from a certified kitchen industry. At 18 I took part in a high school space without having to build the cost into their co-op program and started working in a busy operations – thus helping our Education Projects restaurant, where I began to learn how to Stephen O’Quinn, Chris St. :aurent, Chris Large to reach more people. Together Chefs Chris Large cook professionally. I then went to Fanshawe and Chris St. Laurent are the heartbeat of the for Culinary Arts. I have worked in various Beet! We affectionately call them “The Chris’” and places throughout my career, from family along with the rest of the Chef Team, they deliver restaurants to hotels to bars. Growing Chefs! (quite literally)! is unlike anything I’ve ever done and has captured my heart. ” Events at HQ

Since opening GCO HQ in January 2017, All events held in our space are considered Jen came to us with over 30 years the space has evolved greatly. fundraisers and all monies raised circle hospitality experience both locally and back into our social enterprise to enable abroad. Under Jen’s leadership, our event We were unsure of exactly what the venue our education projects to thrive and grow portfolio has fully bloomed. potential was at the time. We tested a exponentially. variety of different events in the space With our community’s continued support during early days. Who leads all this activity? Jen Wyant, our of our signature events and community Facility Director! programming, we are on the path to Our inaugural event was Valentine’s dinner becoming self-sustaining. for approximately 35 people. With a fairly new staff team, multiple volunteers and our tremendous Chefs, it was the beginning of something amazing! g We have since hosted a multitude of companies and private events for birthday parties, anniversaries and retirement celebrations, corporate team building events, cooking classes, wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Over 3000 Londoners enjoyed events with us last year! Our space is truly versatile and unique - and the good news is being spread within the community!

From left: Sheri Templeton - Donor Relations, Jen Wyant - Facility Director (and Superhero), Andrew Fleet, Executive Director

2017-18 Fiscal c Year How you can help

Income Over the past ten years Growing Chefs! has grown from a seed (or) pilot project in one school into this beautiful, blooming living School Project $189,747 thing, that needs care and tending to. Growing Communities $64,785 We continue to depend on the financial support of grants and subsidies to sustain our operation. Our goal over the next Administration $22,875 two years is to further develop diverse and stable funding relationships that meet the changing needs of the organization, The Beet $273,689 while growing our capacity to deliver affordable programming HQ Events $233,452 to our community.

Total $784,548 But we can’t reach those goals without the support of our community – Growers, Producers, Chefs, Educators, Business Owners, Parents, Children, Youth and YOU.

Expense Please consider supporting our efforts!

School Project $177,885 Contact: 4 Sheri Templeton Growing Communities $71,027 Facility Administration/Donor Relations [email protected] Administration $40,671 Sheri would love to connect with you personally to talk about Social Enterprise $458,817 how your investment in Growing Chefs! Ontario will help to (The Beet / HQ Events) strengthen our community. Total $748,399 f Montessori Academy of London’s relationship with Growing Chefs! Ontario dates back to the beginning when in 2008 Growing Chefs! piloted some of its earliest Originally incorporated in 1957, Westminster - educational programs with the school’s elementary College provided a residential experience within students. a supportive Christian environment for students at Western University. After providing a ‘home Growing Chefs! found a highly compatible partner away from home’ for over 40 years at the corner in Montessori Academy, as both organizations Partner of Richmond Street and Windermere Road believe very strongly in the idea of preparing in London, Ontario, the property was sold to children for life with practical skills and education Western University in 2005. that will help them make healthy food choices. Profiles Westminster College received Foundation status What started as field trips to the test kitchen to get in 2007 and now provides grants to registered students “excited about wholesome, healthy food,” charitable organizations under the business name has turned into a strong partnership that sees more of Westminster College Foundation (WCF). The than 250 of the school’s students enjoying hot lunch Foundation favours initiatives that help advance and provided by The Beet Café Chefs; the lunch program is assist in the areas of education, health and/or spiritual provided daily in Toddler and Casa (preschool) and twice a care, focusing primarily on youth and/or seniors. The week in Elementary. In the summer, the school’s Camp Discovery Foundation is self-sufficient and does not actively day camp participants also enjoy a daily lunch provided by seek financial donations or funding. Since inception The Beet Café. as a Foundation, over $4M has been provided to registered Canadian charities. Tina Sartori, Montessori Academy’s Executive Director says, “One of the things we love about working so closely The Foundation began partnering with Growing with Growing Chefs!, both in our lunch programs and Chefs! for the 2014-15 school year and helped as education provider, is that they enhance our existing us grow our In-School Program from reaching nutrition and food-related programs.” She adds, “Working approximately 850 students to over 2000 students last with Growing Chefs! complements what we teach our year. students in elementary about the interdependence of human needs in society and really shines a light on Over the past three years they have continued to how food doesn’t just appear at the grocery store. The support Growing Chefs! School Programming as children are able to see the food that is produced in the it has evolved, now including In-School activities, area and gain a greater appreciation for the people Field Trip opportunities for JK to Grade 8 classes and who produce that food and how it impacts the services in our Family Activity Nights which together give nearly 4000 community. They learn about nutrition and good food choices at students and their families opportunities to cook a young age in our Casa program - which they then take into our healthy food with our Chef team each year. student-led Junior High lunch program and throughout their lives. This is all strengthened by our partnership and values shared with Growing Chefs.”

About Montessori Academy of London

Montessori Academy of London is a registered charity committed to providing families in the London area education choice; it is the area’s only accredited Montessori program, offering authentic Montessori education to children ages 18 months through 14 years. Our Team The Board

Board of Directors

• Spencer Sandor - President/Board Chair • Jordan Hypes - Treasurer • Elsa Rose Eastabrook - Co-Founder/Signing Officer • Andrew Wolwowicz • Malcolm Scott • Nicola Noble • Matt Pawelec • Cecile Klerks • Kayley MacGregor - Young Leaders Placement

Officers:

• Lena Gahwi - Secretary

Board members (who have left us this past year)

• Katie Van Den Berg • Stephanie Ayers • Jim Hunking • Morgan Liberatoire • Perry Esler 6 Education Team: HQ Team:

• Becca Minielly - Projects Coordinator/Volunteer Coordinator • Andrew Fleet - Executive Director • Sharlaine Murga - Education Assistant • Jen Wyant - Facility Director • Lena Gahwi - Education Assistant • Sheri Templeton - Facility Administrator/Donor Relations • Jennifer Boswick - Education Assistant • Maddy Say - Social Media Manager/Education Assistant Staff who have moved on to other exciting adventures...

Chef Team: • Noelle Couglin – Projects Coordinator • Phoebe Say – Chef Apprentice/Education Assistant/Social • Katherine Jones - Executive Chef Media Manager/Photographer/Resident Artist • Ryan Wishak – Lead Chef • Marisa Verbeem - Education Projects Chef • Chris Large - Sous Chef • Marianne Griffith - Event Coordinator/Education Assistant • Chris St. Laurent - First Cook • Jonathon Linton - Chef Apprentice • Stephen O’Quinn - Chef Apprentice • Phoebe Fraund - Event Coordinator/Education Assistant • Leah Mulat - Education Program Chef • Jay MacIntyre - Deliveries/Facility Maintenance

Our The Staff Team Friends of the London Civic Garden Complex Paul Kash, Sales Representative, NuVista Frisa Farms Realty Gabor Sass - The Smart and Caring Community ; Community Pillar Nonprofit Network Fund Reforest London Supporters Gibbons Park Montessori School Richard and Shelley Baker Girls Rock! Camp y Rotary Club of London Gordon Food Service (GFS) Royal Agriculture Fair Partners Great-West Life - London Life - Canada Life Shangrila Yoga A Cut Above Meats Green Party of Ontario Slegers Greenhouses Agape Foundation Grickle Grass Festival South London Neighbourhood Resource Altaqwa Academy Heeman’s Centre Anago Human Environments Analysis Laboratory (HEAL), Storybook Gardens Anderson Craft Ales Department of Geography, Western University TD Friends of the Environment Foundation Anything Grows Seed Company Hybrid Fitness Thames Talbot Land Trust Arcane Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire Thames Valley District School Board Arva Flour Mill and Store Investing in Children The Arroyas Family Aviva Canada Ivey Business School The City of London Blyth Academy Jill Wilcox Foundation The Clark Family Foundation Booch Organic Kombucha Jill’s Table The Covent Garden Farmer’s Market Cambia Development Foundation Joyce Farms The Covent Garden Market Camp Shine Julia Hunter Memorial Fund The Dekay Family Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, London Kiwanis Club of Forest City-London The Hungary Butcher Branch Libro Credit Union The Ilderton Agricultural Society CHAMP Families Locomotive Espresso The MacDonald Pierce Foundation Charles & Carolyn Innis London Brewing Cooperative The Pristine Olive Tasting Bar Charles & Jill Wright London Catholic District School Board The Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada Chef Andrew Wolwowicz, Craft Pharmacy / London Chamber of Commerce The Verna D. Davis Community Fund North Moore Catering London Children’s Connection Thorndale Agricultural Society Chef Anthony Abdullah, Potojo Food and London Children’s Museum Thorndale Optimists Catering London Clay Arts Centre / London Potter’s Guild Top Shelf Distilleries Chef Chad Stewart, Field to Fork Catering London Community Foundation Tourism London Chef Shauna Versloot, Live Well Community London District Christian School Board Trojan Technologies Chef Thompson Tran, Wooden Boat Food London Environmental Network UnLondon Digital Media Company London Food Incubator Urban Harvest Landscape Chef Tim Drew London Home Economics Association Walter J. Blackburn Foundation Child and Youth Network (CYN) London Intercommunity Health Centre Western Fair District Childreach London Middlesex Master Gardeners Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market C-K Table / Heritage Grain Collaboration London Training Centre Westminster College Foundation Colborne Street United Church Outreach London Urban Services Organization (LUSO) YMCA of Southwestern Ontario Community Mortgage Movement London Waldorf School Youth Opportunities Unlimited Craigwood Youth Services Maria Luisa de Moreno International Foundation, Zdyb Centre for Health Promotion Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre Canada Crunican Orchards McKenzie Lake LLP DIGITAL MEDIA SPONSOR - Digital Echidna David’s Bistro Meals on Wheels London PRINTING SPONSOR - Sterling Marking Downtown London Merrymount Children’s Centre Products East London United Church Outreach Middlesex Federation of Agriculture Eco-Logic Nursery Middlesex London Health Unit Ecosource Miller & Co Eden Garden Works Monteith Brown Planning Consultants Thank you 4 Fanshawe College Montessori Academy of London Forest City Beer Fest Northern Divine Aquafarms v all of us at Forest City Road Races Ocean Wise Growing Chefs! Fraser Teeple Ontario Trillium Foundation Ontario French Public School Board Viamonde Parkway Garden Centre (CONSEIL) Patrick’s Beans

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Help us grow!

Consider supporting us in our efforts! Visit www.growingchefsontario.ca/donate or email us at [email protected]

Growing Chefs! Ontario 460 King St. London ON N6B 1S9 519.679.4769 www.growingchefsontario.ca

Growing Chefs! Ontario is a registered charity Charitable # 85895 9026 RR0001