Over 50 organizations will bring more youth and community involvement in food up and down Vancouver Island thanks to grants.
The organizations are getting funding from Island Health’s community wellness great. It’s for small community projects, with up to $12,000 available for projects and initiatives.
According to Nourish Cowichan executive director Fatima Da Silva, the funding has allowed them to expand their gardening abilities to aid the non-profit after they were given land for 10 years so they can grow more of their own produce.
Da Silva says they were able to build new garden beds and put in garden beds with the funding, and they are already harvesting. She adds it is an example of community at work.
“It’s truly amazing to see a space coming together so fast, we actually were running out of space to plant more tomatoes,” said Da Silva. “This garden is going to be a product of community engagement and there’s nothing that warms my heart more than seeing everybody doing their part.’
Da Silva adds the garden will let them grow some of their food, not enough to fill their needs, but can be used to share with families and be a space for education with schools.
Education is also the focus of LUSH Valley’s Youth in Food System’s program in the Comox Valley.
Executive director Maurita Prato says the goal is to get local youth working in the local food industry learning how to plan gardens, working in their hot meal program for those facing barriers and have them work on various farms and learn how to weed, harvest and learn about local farms.
Prato says this is very important given the current food climate and issues supply chains have seen recently.
“A lot of youth are quite removed from where our food comes from, how to grow food, how to have the skills and knowledge to connect with local food production,” said Prato.
“So, this is an opportunity to help those youth to not only gain those skills but gain some confidence around it, gain some understanding about what’s happening with the global food system.”
Prato adds there is also an empowerment element, and an ability to work with the land that can help bring down anxiety and a calming effect of working with the land and plants.
Da Silva adds that seeing the community rally behind them and is always overwhelmed by the generosity of her community.
For more information about the grants, you can visit the Island Health website.
