Healthy Food, Healthy Communities

Food issues are important to our community members.

Please donate to the Healthy Food, Healthy Communities program.

Whether it’s simply to quench our hunger or to help celebrate an important event – healthy, nutritious and delicious food plays an important role in every day of our lives.

Bobby Lax and the Grade School Gourmets from StrongHeart Productions on Vimeo.

On the West Coast of Vancouver Island, our communities face a very different and unique set of challenges related to our food. Due to a variety of factors, including remoteness, challenging growing conditions and limited availability of options – our community members struggle to find ways to improve their relationship with healthy, affordable, local foods.

The Healthy Food, Healthy Communities program is based on our knowledge that affordable access to healthy food is the first step in fostering a healthy community.

Since 2009, we have:

• Successfully completed two public workshops in Tofino and Ittatsoo, hosting experts in food security, nutrition, traditional Nuu-chah-nulth diets, non-timber forest products and wild food harvesting;
• Identified food issues throughout the area with a Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region Food Survey;
• Helped develop of a regional food network;
• Shared traditional food knowledge with the community through a community cultural feasting project delivered by Uu-a-thluk;
• Identified opportunities and issues related to food in the remote community of Hesquiaht First Nation with a community-based consultation;
• Created a regional Food Action Plan;
• In partnership with FarmFolk/CityFolk, we have supported community gardens in Ahousaht and Hesquiaht First Nations.

Healthy Food, Healthy Communities helps vulnerable individuals and communities in the Biosphere Reserve region to develop an effective, community-based response to food challenges and increases our understanding of healthy, affordable food choices.

Please donate to our Healthy Food, Healthy Communities program.