Nanaimo Foodshare

Ongoing Events and Groups:

---

Thursday September 30, 2010
4:30 pm @ Foodshare Centre
New Members Welcome
Light refreshments will be served

---

Our Board is seeking a Secretary to take minutes of its meetings every third Thursday, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

We also need more directors at large to provide leadership to the volunteer groups we hope to bring together, to establish committee terms of reference, make recommendations to the board, and bring projects to successful conclusions.

As we develop our volunteer program we will also require volunteers to participate in community activities, create or participate in "one-off" educational &/or fundraising activities, the Foodlink farmers market information booth, the development of the annual Seedy Sunday in Nanaimo as well as other volunteer opportunities as they arise.

We believe that we have a lot to offer volunteers:
* a cause that is widely supported;
* a dynamic Executive Director;
* capable and cheerful people working on funded projects;
* a friendly and knowledgeable board;
* exciting projects already operating.

Join us and become part of Nanaimo's food secure future.

---

Farmers, Principal, Teachers, Parents, PACs, Students, Population and Public Health leads, Aboriginal groups and community organizations who may be interested.

NANAIMO'S DIGGING IN! - Nanaimo Foodshare Society, School District #68, the Vancouver Island Health Authority and others are pooling resources to stimulate Farm to School activity in the Nanaimo area. Nanaimo plans to implement up to 4 new programs before the school year is out! To get the ball rolling, we are gearing up to host our first regional Farm to School gathering on March 27.

We are excited to present Joanne Bays, Provincial Coordinator, Farm to School

Joanne Bays is a population health nutritionist and a food policy consultant with special interest in food localism and its impact on personal, community, and environmental health. As the first woman within a health authority to hold the post of Regional Manager of Healthy Communities and Community Food Security, Joanne has contributed to the advancement of food security policy, research and practice throughout northern BC. Joanne currently Co-Chairs the Vancouver Food Policy Council and is a Co-Investigator in a community based research project exploring the impact of school food systems on climate change. Over the past two years Joanne has lead the development of a province wide Farm to School Network linking farm to school activity in urban, rural, remote, and aboriginal communities. Together with Canadian colleagues, Joanne is building momentum towards a Canadian Farm to Cafeteria Network.

We look forward to seeing you there!!

---

Anna Dodds, Program Coordinator and Nanaimo Foodshare's "Community Roots Food Garden" have been selected to receive an Innovative Community Capacity Building Award from the Canadian Cancer Society's Community Capacity Building Strategy, an initiative of the BC Healthy Living Alliance. The Innovative Community Development Award aims to:

• Recognize local development/redevelopment projects or programs, and the individuals behind them, that inspire communities to take action to identify and meet their own needs; and
• Honour individuals and their affiliated organizations who continually contribute to the foundation of their community.
• These awards are a result of the desire to recognize excellence in building the viability of communities in BC outside of the work done by the Community Capacity Building Strategy.

Congratulations to Anna on being among the 12 award recipients selected in the Vancouver Island region!

---

FOODSHARE MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

Sign up now to become a member of Nanaimo Foodshare. Membership is only $5 a year and includes invitations to special events, voting rights on matters that affect the society, and special rates on space and equipment rental. Email foodshareadmin@shaw.ca for more info.