Community Food Security and Food Education 2017 Projects Announced

The Community Food Security and Food Education Program is a joint effort with the province’s departments of Agriculture and Fisheries, Health and Wellness, and Education, Early Learning and Culture. It is intended to promote good nutrition and healthy food choices, build community self-reliance, link farmers to consumers, and build pride and joy in preparing foods.

Over $100,000 will fund 17 projects to help teach community groups, schools, and early childhood centres about fresh local food.

List of the 17 successful projects:

• Good Food, Good Health - The Morell Gardening Project
  This project supported students in learning how to grow food and maintain a garden on school property. Through indoor and outdoor learning activities, students learned about food, nutrition, wellness, agriculture and business
• Good Food, Good Health - The Westisle Gardening Project
  This project supported students in learning how to grow food and maintain a garden on school property. Through community-based food learning experiences, students learned about agriculture on PEI and the work required to produce, package, and sell healthy food. 
• Healthy Local Food at East Wiltshire School – Now and Future
  Increase the availability of fresh local food on the menu at East Wiltshire School by developing sustainable, healthy food choices, and implementing changes that support local food distribution
• Healthy Local Food at Tignish Elementary School – Now and Future
  Increase the availability of fresh local food on the menu at Tignish Elementary School by developing sustainable, healthy food choices, and implementing changes that support local food distribution
• Healthy Local Food at Morell High School – Now and Future
  Increase the availability of fresh local food on the menu of Morell Consolidated High School by developing sustainable, healthy food choices, and implementing changes that support local food distribution
• A Comprehensive Examination of the Cost, Logistical and Fulfillment Barriers to Incorporating Organic & Locally Grown Products in an Existing Lunch Program
  PEI Certified Organic Producers Cooperative
  Increase the availability of fresh food on the menu at Queen Elizabeth Elementary School by developing a cost-effective, sustainable model for inclusion of local and organic food products into the already existing lunch program
• Charlottetown Rural Gardens Community Project
  Charlottetown Rural High School
  Provide community-based food learning experiences through opportunities for students to gain knowledge about growing one’s own food on school grounds
• Healthy Families Community Kitchen
  Native Council of PEI
  Facilitate a series of educational sessions for Indigenous youth to combat food insecurity. Topics and activities will include: plot gardening 101; buying healthy local food on a budget; and juicing with local ingredients
• Enhancing the Healthy Food Environment for the Morell Consolidated School Community
  Morell Consolidated School / University of Prince Edward Island
  Promote good nutrition and healthy food choices by building community connections with local producers, facilitating nutritional and cooking sessions and the re-establishment of the Morell Consolidated community garden (in partnership with the Morell & Area Early Learning Centre)
• Vertical Gardening
  The Mount Community Council
  Increase the amount of fresh local food on the menu for the students of The Mount Academy and Playtime Daycare Centre by installing vertical indoor gardens. These gardens will grow fresh produce and herbs by students of The Academy and in turn used to prepare homemade meals and snacks for both daycare and Academy children
• Healthy Food for our Children
  Lennox Island Health Program
  Promote good nutrition and healthy food choices by offering a variety of unique learning opportunities for children and parents centered on healthy foods
• Good Food Box Initiative
  Spring Park Elementary
  Build community self-reliance and collaboration by bringing together key multi-sector groups to connect students and their families to local farmers in PEI. The project will provide community-based learning that promotes food literacy for students and teachers as well as community participation in making healthy food choices
• Educate and Eat Locally
  Merry Pop-Ins Childcare Centre Inc
  Increase the availability of fresh local food on the menu at Merry Pop-Ins Childcare Centre by working with a local producer to modify the existing menu in order to incorporate more locally grown, seasonally available foods. The project will work with local producers to provide learning opportunities for both junior and preschool aged children with respect to various agriculture sectors
• Tajikei – I am Healthy
  Mi’kmaq Family Resource Centre
  Provide opportunities for vulnerable or marginalized communities on PEI by offering a variety of food education programs, which will promote health and social well-being of both parents and children
• Building a Virtual Community to Address Food Security and Education
  Canada’s Smartest Kitchen
  Increase community capacity to address community food security by designing and building a virtual information hub of resources for projects and programs, which address the goal of province-wide community food security
• Improving Food Literacy for a Healthy Island
  Veg PEI
  Increase the availability of fresh local food on menus in schools by promoting the health and economic benefits of locally produced foods to schools while working to secure supplier partnerships
• Cooking Together – An Educational and Collaborative Cooking Program
  Kings Playhouse
  Provide community-based food learning experiences by offering collaborative cooking experiences both in a school and community format.  Participants and students will utilize locally grown ingredients to create balanced and economical meals

If you have any questions please e-mail agr-feedback@gov.pe.ca