Food Action Society of the North Okanagan - 2502758814

The Food Action Society of the North Okanagan is a non-profit organization. We support a sustainable regional food system through community action.

Background

The Food Action Society was formed as a result of community consultations held during the Food Security Assessment and Action Plan (2007) that indicated a number of community food programs needed support and/or had discontinued as a result of not having a secure host agency. It was recognized that no local Society was mandated to address community food security and that having a society that could develop food security and food system initiatives would be an important asset and service for the area.

Food Charter

The North Okanagan Food Charter is a reflection of our community food values and provides individuals and organizations with an opportunity to collectively commit to action. It was crafted with input from community members across the region. You can read the charter here, sign on, and/or print a copy to display in your home or office. The City of Vernon has endorsed the Guiding Principles. We invite you to add your voice!

What We Do

Good Food Box

The Food Action Society is the host organization for the Good Food Box program. As such we provide support in terms of financial administration, an advisory steering committee, and contract the coordinator position. This year the committee will help to conduct a systems review and document all operations and processes in an effort to streamline and prepare for the future. Visit www.goodfoodbox.net for more information.

Community Outreach and Education

As a volunteer organization we are limited in what we can offer in terms of programs, and instead focus on efforts that help facilitate community action in our priority areas. This may range from educational displays to hosting food sustainability documentary films nights or more social, dinner events like Roots 'n Brews. Any funds raised at these events support the efforts of the Society and it's projects as needed.

Community Garden Network

The Food Action Society has supported the development of the Community Garden Network to date and is an active partner in its continued operations and development. Currently, the Society administers the revenues for the three community gardens. It also recently completed the Community Garden Network project which formalized the model and partnership structure, constructed a new garden at West Vernon elementary, and will continue to provide support to the volunteer garden committees role through their liaison, Wendy Aasen.

Gleaning

The Food Action Society supports community efforts at gleaning as capacity allows and hopes to eventually see a funded community-scale program sustained in the area. Until such time, the Society will continue to play an advisory support role in facilitating this possibility in the future and support shorter term projects as able. Additionally the Society will make efforts to promote the Glean Canada web-based resource that matches people in communities in need of surplus foods with food producers with excess at www.gleancanada.ca

School Food Action

The Society believes that schools are an excellent place to educate and initiate food action. The Society supports food action initiatives through their liaison, Harry Adam, who has been actively providing food gardening instruction to teachers and families, maintains a school garden in his role as principal of Silver Star Elementary, and hopes to network a community of school garden champions to further the many opportunities that exist in schools. Check the calendar for upcoming events.

Food Directory and Mapping Resource

The Food Action Society believes that food security cannot exist without local farmers. Family farms are faced with many threats and often struggle to remain viable. The Food Directory helps consumers connect with local farm producers and in turn helps sustain the region's farm and food businesses. The Food Action Society plans to continue to fine tune, train, and encourage area food and farm businesses to populate the directory, as well as keep it current.

Policy and Planning

The Food Action Society has been actively involved in food policy and planning initiatives. Most recently they provided representation on the Regional Growth Strategy's Agriculture and Food Systems working group and participated when a community Emergency Food Action Team was formed to improve the emergency food system in the area as it struggles to meet the growing demand for charitable food.

Project Development

The Food Action Society actively develops projects as needs and opportunities are identified and capacity allows. Funding is sought through grant proposals or through fundraising, and projects are delivered with the help of consultants or through committees and volunteers.

Board Committees

We also have numerous ways for Society members and community members to get involved on committees. If you have an area of interest, we'd love to hear from you!

Tags: Charity Organization,Nonprofit Organization,Education