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@aplaceforfood 1

The Community Food Centre (CFC) model:

Using Food Programing to promote healthy

eating, improve mental health and provide

spaces for social inclusion

AGENDA OVERVIEW

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

• GOOD FOOD PRINCIPLES

• GOOD FOOD RULES

• VIDEO

• WHY FOOD?

• CFC ENVIRONMENT

• ANNUAL PROGRAM SURVEY RESULTS

• QUESTIONS

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• INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA’S MODEL

Healthy Food Access

Community meals

Healthy food bank

Affordable produce markets

Bake ovens

Education & Engagement

Advocacy office

Community action

Public education

Policy campaigns

Healthy Food Skills

Community kitchens

Community gardens

Perinatal programs

After-school programs

Each CFC will contain programs in each of these three areas. The specific programming mix will be developed with community input to ensure it meets local needs.

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE’S CORE PROGRAM AREAS

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

GOOD FOOD PRINCIPLES GUIDE OUR WORK

GOOD FOOD RULES!

COMING TO A CFC …

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

● Increases access to healthy food among low-income community members

● Increases skills and knowledge and encourages behaviour change around healthy food

● Reduces social isolation and increases connections to a variety of supports

● Increases knowledge of poverty and food systems issues and create new opportunities for effective action on systemic issues

Provides space and support to build healthy communities

VIDEO

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

• Focus on health – social determinants of health point to the high

levels of diet related illness and social isolation in low income

populations

• Gives people a reason to come

• Addresses an immediate need – we can’t solve hunger with food

but can use it to bring people together

• Common ground - Everyone knows something about it

• Can create comfort –shows you care

• Healthy food is expensive

• Interactive – Growing, Cooking and

Eating together

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WHY DO WE USE FOOD?

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

• Programing developed to reduce stigma and involve maximum

engagement i.e. no line ups, round tables, food choice, regularly

scheduled, encourage to attend more

• Have low to high engagement programming

• Low barriers or no barriers to access services

• Respect policies

• Attention paid to details in the space i.e. round tables, clean, etc

• Healthy and culturally diverse food offerings across all programs

• High # of participant volunteers

• Collect and Integrate feedback

from the community

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CREATING THE COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE ENVIRONMENT

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA 10

HEALTHIER, HAPPIER AND MORE SUPPORTED

Appreciation of Healthy Food Programs 93% identify their CFC as an important source of healthy food “I’d say the food from The Local helps me to try new things. I can try new things and not have to pay for it first. Really helps to have someone show you how to make it”

“I’m looking forward to what we’re going to do and what we’re going to make. The smell of the kitchen and people are smiling” – Regent Park CFC participant

STATS AND QUOTES FROM 2015 AND 2016 CFC COLLECTIVE ANNUAL PROGRAM SURVEY

Improving Healthy Food Behaviours and Physical Health 77% made healthy changes to their diets

“If you cook and eat healthy food, it gives you more energy and you can exercise more. It’s like a snowball, improving your mental health and then social health.”

– The Stop CFC participant

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA 11

WHAT DO OUR ANNUAL PROGRAM SURVEY RESULTS SAY?

Chronic Health Conditions 68% had at least one chronic diet related health condition 67% reported that the CFC had helped them better manage their condition

“The CFC has helped me manage my depression and my addiction, through eating good, fresh vegetables. I believe that’s a link to living a good fresh life”

STATS AND QUOTES FROM 2015 AND 2016 CFC COLLECTIVE ANNUAL PROGRAM SURVEY

Improved Mental Health 61% of participants said their mental health had improved because of their involvement with the CFC

“Survival. It has helped me with physical, mental and spiritual survival. The food helps with nutrition. The people help with loneliness and boredom. A sense of belonging and community. I know there are people here to help if I need that” – Dartmouth North CFC participant

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WHAT DO OUR ANNUAL PROGRAM SURVEY RESULTS SAY?

Social Connections and Sense of Belonging

76% of participants have made new friends at their CFC that they feel close to, can talk to about what’s on their mind, and could call on for help.

95% of participants said they feel they belong to a community at their CFC.

“It’s a great place to gather with friends and eat. It’s a very social place.” -Regent Park CFC participant

“…You feel like you are with friends and you’re accepted unconditionally. Everyone is equal. You don’t find that everywhere” -The Local CFC participant

STATS AND QUOTES FROM 2015 AND 2016 CFC COLLECTIVE ANNUAL PROGRAM SURVEY Depression

33% of participants have been diagnosed with depression 67% of those diagnosed with depression said the CFC helped them manage their condition “You meet people and you talk to them and you realize you’re not the only person in this situation. You’re not alone” -The Table CFC participant

COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA

• Work from a mindset that understands not

having security in the basic needs of life

not only causes people to be food insecure

but is also stressful and impacts mental

health

• Start where your client/community

member is at. Value and encourage

client/community bringing their own food

knowledge and culture to the table

• Research and visit community food

resources and make referrals to places

that provide healthy food and welcoming

environments

Food and mental health connection: what can you do?

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COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRES CANADA 14

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!

www.cfccanada.ca

Facebook/LinkedIn: Community Food Centres Canada

Twitter/Instagram/YouTube: @aplaceforfood

Rekha Cherian Program Manager

416 531 8826 x. 229 | rekha@cfccanada.ca

Linor David Program Manager

416 531 8826 x. 223 | linor@cfccanada.ca

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